Ursula Mauch (née Widmer; born 29 March 1935) is a Swiss chemist, educator and politician who served on the National Council (Switzerland) from 1979 to 1995.[1] She was the first female member to represent the Canton of Aargau constituency. She previously served on the Grand Council of Aargau from 1974 to 1980 for the Social Democratic Party. She is the mother of Corine Mauch, who currently serves as Mayor of Zurich.

Ursula Mauch
Mauch, c. 2015
Member of National Council (Switzerland)
In office
26 November 1979 – 3 December 1995
ConstituencyCanton of Aargau
Member of Grand Council of Aargau
In office
1974–1980
Personal details
Born
Ursula Widmer

(1935-03-29) 29 March 1935 (age 89)
Oftringen, Switzerland
Political partySocial Democratic Party
Spouse
Samuel Mauch
(m. 1958)
Children3, including Corine
ResidenceOberlunkhofen, Switzerland (current)

Early life and education

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Mauch was born 29 March 1935 in Oftringen, Switzerland to Ernst Widmer, a butcher, and Margaritha Widmer.[2] Her younger brother, Hans Widmer (b. 1940), became an industrialist who served as chief executive officer and chairman of Oerlikon-Bührle.[3][4] Mauch initially completed the École du Commerce in Neuchatel, followed by a diploma in chemistry at Technikum Winterthur (today Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur).[5]

Career

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Upon her return from the US, she became a chemistry and physics teacher at the commercial college in Aarau. In 1986, she and her husband founded the research and communication agency INFRAS, which primarily consults in environmental issues.[6]

Politics

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In 1974, she was elected to serve on the Grand Council of Aargau, a position she held through 1980. Ultimately, she served as the first female member of the National Council (Switzerland) from 1979 to 1995.[7]

Personal life

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In 1958, she married Samuel Mauch (b. 1935), with whom she moved to the United States, where she resided between 1959 and 1964 and again in 1970/71, when her husband was a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[8][9] Her eldest daughter, Corine Mauch, was born in Iowa City, Iowa in 1960.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Ratsmitglied ansehen". Federal Assembly. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  2. ^ "Mauch, Ursula". hls-dhs-dss.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  3. ^ Street Journal, Margaret StuderSpecial to The Wall (1998-02-09). "Oerlikon-Buehrle's Board Sets Plans to Step Down". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  4. ^ "Swiss Shoe Company Seeks Guidance About Damaging Files". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  5. ^ "Ursula Mauch, Umweltberaterin und SP-Politikerin". ZEITGESCHICHTE AARGAU (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  6. ^ Zuerich, ETH-Bibliothek. "Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt = Feuille officielle suisse du commerce = Foglio ufficiale svizzero di commercio". E-Periodica (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  7. ^ Zulauf, Fränzi (2011-02-06). "Frauenstimmrecht – Diese Aargauerinnen waren Wegbereiterinnen für Frauen in der Politik". Aargauer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  8. ^ "Samuel P. Mauch". MIT Press. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  9. ^ "MIT Museum". webmuseum.mit.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  10. ^ "Corine Mauch". MAYORS MIGRATION COUNCIL. 2022-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-22.