Wilhelm Eduard Brodtbeck

Wilhelm Eduard, son of Wilhelm senior (architect and cement factory owner) and Susanne Karoline Spinnler, grew up in Liestal. Primarily Wilhelm Brodtbeck visited schools in Liestal and then at a later age in Basel. He then studied architecture, concluding at the University of Stuttgart und at the University of Karlsruhe. Later he made various studium journeys in Germany, Holland, Austria, Italy and France, hereafter Brodtbeck worked in Lausanne. He married Susanna Elisabeth Buess from Wenslingen, Basel-Country, in 1904.

Wilhelm Brodtbeck founded his own architect's office in 1901 in Liestal. As young architect he accomplished a large variety of residential houses. Later he expanded his horizon and realized schools complexes and industrial buildings. As from 1921, together with his partner Fritz Bohny, he managed the architecture bureau W. Brodtbeck AG. In 1952 Rolf Georg Otto was invited by Brodtbeck to take over the well recognized business. The two founders members withdrew themselves from the daily business. Bohny retired, but Brodtbeck remained in the board of directors as president until his death in 1957. The well renowned firm still exists today under the name Otto und Partner.

Wilhelm Brodtbeck also wrote poems, pageants and prose: • "Junges Blut" Gedichte 1899, (poems dated 1899) • "D Vermögesabgab". Zeitbilder aus der jüngsten Vergangenheit. Festspiel am Kantonalschützenfest beider Basel in Liestal 1923. (Time essays of the latest history, pageant for the festival fair featuring shooting matches of the canton Basel-Country in Liestal 1923).