Josef Hoop

Josef Hoop
Dr Franz Josef Hoop (14 December 1895 – 19 October 1959) was a political figure from Liechtenstein who served as Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1928 to 1945.
Hoop is best known for his efforts to retain Liechtenstein's neutrality and independence during World War II. Serving for seventeen years, he is the longest serving Prime Minister in the country's history, ahead of his successor Alexander Frick by 79 days. He served under the reign of Prince of Liechtenstein Johann II, Franz I and Franz Joseph II, making him the only Prime Minister to serve under three Princes consecutively.
Early life and diplomatic career
Hoop was born in Eschen, Liechtenstein on 14 December 1895 to his father Franz Josef Hoop who was a farmer and a deputy Member of Parliament and his mother Berta Batliner as one of nine children.
Hoop attended high school in Feldkirch, Austria, and for a short time afterwards attended school in Zürich, Switzerland. After finishing his school, Hoop took up post-secondary education at the University of Innsbruck, where he devoted himself to the study of Oriental languages. Hoop graduated in 1920, with a doctorate in philosophy. He was fluent in Arabic.
Hoop served as the Attaché and Chargé d'affaires at the Liechtenstein legation in Vienna from 1920 until 1923. He worked in removing Visa requirements for Austrian citizens in Liechtenstein in 1922. He had also complained about the low wages of the staff at the legation as it was not often satisfactory and catered for the operation of the legation.
The Liechtenstein legation in Vienna was closed in 1923. Hoop had resisted the closure of the legation, as he believed it would negatively effect relations with Austria. He visited the Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Grünberger regarding the closure who had also privately opposed it, which faced backlash from the Liechtenstein government as they had previously agreed to be represented by Switzerland instead. He was a member of the Liechtenstein Historical Association from 1921.
From 1924 to 1928 he worked for the Swiss customs administration in Geneva and St. Gallen.
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
Hoop was the third Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, from 4 August 1928 to 3 September 1945. Early elections were called after Johann II forced the government of Gustav Schädler to resign in June 1928 as the result of an embezzlement scandal at the National Bank of Liechtenstein. The 1928 Liechtenstein parliamentary election resulted with a win for the Progressive Citizens' Party and Hoop was appointed to serve as Prime Minister. Due to the 1930 Liechtenstein by-election the Progressive Citizens' Party became the first and only party to hold an absoloute majority in the Landtag Liechtenstein's history until 1932.
Economic policy
Hoop was supportive of an independent stamp tax policy separate from Switzerland in order for Liechtenstein to maintain economic sovereignty from them, despite the two countries forming a customs union in 1924. Swiss concerns of monetary uniformity with Liechtenstein led to Hoop's government agreeing to withdraw the country's silver coin in 1930 in favour of a state gold coin corresponding to Switzerland. Despite this, Hoop had opposed the coins being printed in Swiss francs and personally asked Franz I to veto the proposal under such conditions even with the majority of the Landtag's approval.
He had advocated for the building of a 23km long inland canal in order to increase the percentage of arable land within the country and to create job opportunities within the country, which was approved in 1930, started construction in 1931 and then completed in 1943. He had also given advice for businesses and industrial start-ups in Liechtenstein in order to bring employment and capital to the country.
Spy affair
In January 1937 Liechtensteiner Vaterland editor and founding member of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service Carl Freiherr von Vogelsang publicly denounced Jews living in Liechtenstein and sent numerous letters detailing them to officials in Nazi Germany. As a result, Hoop ordered the offices of the Vaterland to be searched for any letters to be confiscated and Vogelsang promptly left the country. The majority of the Landtag approved of Hoop's actions, but members of the Patriotic Union called for his resignation over the issue, believing the search to be unconstitutional. It was decided that two special judges would determine the legal implications of the case. Eventually, in July 1937 it was concluded by both judges that Hoop had not acted unconstitutionally by ordering the search against Vogelsang and was subsequently legally acquitted of any wrong-doing.
Foreign policy and World War II
In 1936, Hoop pioneered an extradition treaty being signed between Liechtenstein and the United States.
Since the rise of Nazi Germany in 1933 and the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in the country Liechtenstein experienced a large rise Jewish emigrants to the country in which Hoop's government had supported the naturalization of the refugees under a new citizenship law. In doing this, Liechtenstein faced attacks from German press and internal sources such as the Liechtenstein Homeland Service bolstered by Franz I's wife, Elisabeth von Gutmann being of Jewish relation. Hoop personally attempted to temper relations with Germany through the use of private contacts and actively downplayed the threat of National-socialism within Liechtenstein.
In the wake of World War II following the Anschluss of Austria, Hoop and the Progressive Citizens' Party participated in the coalition government formed to prevent government deadlock and help retain Liechtenstein's neutrality overseen by Franz Joseph II along with Patriotic Union led by Otto Schaedler. Alois Vogt, the party secretary was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein and replaced Anton Frommelt. Hoop rejected the fascist tendencies of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service of which was one the merger parties of the Patriotic Union. The party faced suspicion after the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) attempted a coup in 1939.
Hoop considered friendly, non-binding, non-provocative diplomacy to be appropriate towards Nazi Germany, supplemented by courtesy gestures. In March 1939 he along with Franz Joseph II and Otto Schaedler paid an official visit to Berlin where they met Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop where they discussed safeguarding Liechtenstein's independence and neutrality while maintaining good relations. Franz Joseph later reminisced on the visit and stated that Hitler showed little interest in them and that it only took place in order to "flatter Hitler's ego". In 1940, during a lecture in Stuttgart, Hoop showed respect for the German armies. At the same time, he tied the country as closely as possible to Switzerland during the war in hopes of retaining Liechtenstein's neutrality. He achieved the de-facto inclusion of Liechtenstein in the Swiss national supply. Hoop did not consider re-forming the Liechtenstein Army to avoid provocation. During the war, he worked closely with Franz Joseph II despite agitation from Otto Schaedler who advocated for a more cooperative-stance towards Nazi Germany.
Resignation
Hoop resigned in September 1945, after serving in the premiership for seventeen years. He formally did this due to his worsening heart condition and his desire to move on from the role, but also remarked that Franz Joseph II had pressured him to do so as he believed that the vision of a post-war Liechtenstein required a change in leadership due to the ongoing diplomatic crisis with the pro-axis First Russian National Army and pro-emperor Vladimir White emigres led by General Boris Smyslovsky that had taken refuge in the country a few months prior. This de-facto dismissal of Hoop angered many within the Progressive Citizens' Party. He was succeeded by Alexander Frick.
Later life
In 1946 leaders of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein were prosecuted for the coup in 1939 and Hoop testified as a witness, taking a moderate stance in defending the actions of Friedrich Bock who was a leading figure in the early days in the party during the establishment and with the following coup against the government. Former members of Hoop's government were also indicted over their actions during the Second World War, notably his former Deputy Alois Vogt, but he was never charged.
After resigning as Prime Minister, Hoop soon went on to study law at the University of Zurich and then at the University of Innsbruck in 1946, where he graduated and received a doctorate in 1948. From 1948 he worked as a lawyer in Vaduz.
Hoop later went on to serve as a board member for the National Bank of Liechtenstein, and President of the Liechtenstein Constitutional Court. He went on to be elected to the Landtag in 1957, where he served until his death in 1959. He was President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1958 to 1959.
Personal life
Hoop married Emilie Gstöhl (27 February 1898 - 11 February 1997) in 1920 and they had no children.
In his personal time, Hoop often engaged in botany, reading literature and listening to the radio.
Death and legacy
Hoop, a frequent smoker throughout his adult life, died on 19 October 1959 due to heart failure, at the age of 63 years old. He was buried in his home-town of Eschen and his funeral was attended by both Franz Joseph II and Countess Georgina von Wilczek. A street in Eschen was named after him.
Hoop was regarded highly by Franz Joseph II due to his efforts to protect Liechtenstein's independence during World War II. He once said in retrospect that "Hoop saved the country". Fellow member of the Liechtenstein Historical Association and his successor as President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein Martin Risch described him as "one of the finest men to serve within Liechtenstein, for his long-term service in the country". In 2010, Historian Peter Geiger described Hoop as "He impressed less with charisma than with solid expertise, intelligence, diplomatic-friendly approach and sense of responsibility".
Honours
: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein (1937)
In popular culture
Josef Hoop was portrayed by French actor Pierre Vaneck in the film Vent d'est, released in 1993.
Notes
References
See also
Politics of Liechtenstein
Heads of government of Liechtenstein
Speakers of the Landtag of Liechtenstein
Members of the Landtag of Liechtenstein
Progressive Citizens' Party politicians
20th-century Liechtenstein politicians
World War II political leaders
University of Innsbruck alumni
Liechtenstein lawyers
20th-century lawyers
1895 births
1959 deaths