1918 Liechtenstein putsch

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1918 Liechtenstein putsch

The 1918 Liechtenstein putsch, also called the Beck putsch, was a de facto coup in Liechtenstein. On 7 November 1918, leaders of the Christian-Social People’s Party (VP) moved to remove Governor Leopold Freiherr von Imhof. They forced his government to resign and set up a Provisional Executive Committee led by Martin Ritter to run the country.

Background in brief
- World War I left Liechtenstein short of food and goods. The country was neutral but depended on Austria-Hungary for supplies, which became harder as the war dragged on.
- Liechtenstein was under pressure from Britain and France to cut ties with Austria-Hungary, and over time food deliveries from Austria-Hungary stopped.
- The government, led by Imhof, struggled to cope. Wilhelm Beck and other reformists pushed for welfare expansion, broader voting rights, and a Liechtensteiner head of government (Imhof was Austrian), gaining support in the Landtag.
- The 1918 general election gave the VP five of twelve seats in the Landtag.

The coup and its immediate effects
- In November 1918 Beck joined with Martin Ritter and Fritz Walser to plot against Imhof. They proposed a vote of no confidence, and Imhof offered his resignation under pressure.
- Although the Landtag expressed confidence in Imhof, the elected members decided to replace him with a Provisional Executive Committee led by Ritter, effectively transferring government power.
- Prince Johann II accepted Imhof’s resignation on 13 November. Albert Schädler and others who opposed Beck’s approach resigned in protest.
- The committee was meant to last only about a month; Karl Aloys of Liechtenstein was to become governor after it dissolved. The coup received popular support from the public but caused controversy in the Landtag. The prince did not actively oppose it and remained in Vienna.

Long-term consequences
- The coup undermined the 1862 Constitution and sparked a drive for constitutional reform.
- A constitutional committee worked with both major parties to draft a new constitution. It was signed into law on 5 October 1921 by Prince Karl Aloys (on behalf of Johann II).
- The 1921 constitution established a mixed system of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, introduced referendums on Landtag decisions, lowered the voting age to 21 with universal male suffrage, and ended the prince’s power to appoint three Landtag seats.