Background
The son of the doctor Guntram Deucher,he was born in Wipkingen, which is now part of Zurich.
The son of the doctor Guntram Deucher,he was born in Wipkingen, which is now part of Zurich.
From 1847 to 1851 he studied medicine in Heidelberg, Prague, Vienna and Zurich.
From 1851 to 1862 he was a doctor in Steckborn. From 1858 to 1872 he was a member of the Grand Council of the canton Thurgau and took part in the revision of the constitution of canton. In 1869 he was elected to the National Council, but lost his seat in four years, as he had exposed himself in the culture war too much and lost the support of the rural Catholic population of Thurgau. In 1879 he was elected to the Executive Council of Thurgau and again to the National Council. Since 1883 followed Deucher's election to the Federal Council where he remained until his death. His term of 29 years is the second longest of all cabinet ministers. As economics minister, he created the Swiss social legislation and took up labour protection of workers. Four times he was President (1886, 1897, 1903,1909).