Josef Hoop

Hoop was born in Eschen, Liechtenstein on 14 December 1895 to his father Franz Josef who was a farmer and a deputy Member of Parliament and his mother Berta née Batliner. He was one of eight children.[2]

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. Hoop served as the Attaché and Chargé d'affaires at the Liechtenstein legation in Vienna from 1920 until 1923, when it was closed.[2] From 1924 to 1928 he worked for the Swiss customs administration in Geneva and St. Gallen.

Hoop was the third Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, from 4 August 1928 to 3 September 1945.[1] 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.[3] The 1928 Liechtenstein parliamentary election resulted with a win for the Progressive Citizens' Party[4] and Hoop was appointed to serve as Prime Minister.

In 1936, Hoop pioneered an extradition treaty being signed between Liechtenstein and the United States.[5]

In 1937, Hoop admitted that Austrian pretender Otto von Habsburg was living in Liechtenstein Castle as a guest of Franz I in order to be closer to Austria rather than in his previous residence of Steenokkerzeel, Belgium.[6]

In the wake of World War II 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[7][8] along with Patriotic Union led by Otto Schaedler.[9] Despite this coalition Hoop remained distant to Schaedler, suspicious of his connections to Nazi Germany, particularly with the Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle and the Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland.[2][10] He rejected the fascist tendencies of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service[2] of which was one the merger parties of the Patriotic Union.[11] The party faced suspicion after the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) attempted a coup in 1939.[9]

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.[12][13] 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".[14] 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.[2] Hoop did not consider re-forming the Liechtenstein Army to avoid provocation.[8] During the war, he worked closely with Franz Joseph II[2][15] despite agitation from Otto Schaedler who advocated for a more cooperative-stance towards Nazi Germany.[10]

Hoop resigned in September 1945, after serving in the premiership for seventeen years, as he believed that the vision of post-war Liechtenstein required a change in leadership.[16][17] He was succeeded by Alexander Frick.[1]

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.[2]

Hoop later went on to serve as a board member for the National Bank of Liechtenstein, and President of the Liechtenstein Constitutional Court.[2] 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 from 1958 to 1959.[18]

Hoop was married to Emilie Gstöhl (27 February 1898 - 11 February 1997) and they had no children. He was fluent in Arabic.[2]

Hoop died on 19 October 1959 due to heart failure, at the age of 63 years old.[19] He was buried in his home-town of Eschen and his funeral was attended by both Franz Joseph II and Countess Georgina von Wilczek.[15]

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".[2][20]

•  Liechtenstein : Grand Star of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein.[2]

• Politics of Liechtenstein