Towards the end of 1918, he was elected by Parliament to be the Swiss President for 1919, but retired from the Federal Executive at the end of his year of office, on 31 December 1919.
1918年接近年末时，他被议会选举为1919年的瑞士联邦总统，但是于任期末尾、1919年12月31日从联邦行政机构退休。