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Swiss Civil Code (ZGB)

Also Known As Zivilgesetzbuch, ZGB, Code civil suisse
Civil Codes

The Swiss Civil Code, or Zivilgesetzbuch, is Switzerland's foundational private-law statute, drafted by jurist Eugen Huber at the Federal Council's request, enacted 10 December 1907 and effective 1 January 1912. Written after both the Napoleonic Code and the German BGB, it drew on both while retaining substantial material indigenous to Swiss cantonal law, and was praised for clarity and modern drafting. Its influence reached well beyond Switzerland: Turkey adopted a lightly modified version as its own Civil Code in 1926 under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, directly replacing the Mecelle.

Facts
Era
enacted 10 December 1907, effective 1 January 1912 1
Promulgated By
Drafted by jurist Eugen Huber at the request of the Swiss federal government, enacted by the Swiss Federal Assembly 2
Era
Era (category)
20th Century (1900-1999) 1
Connections

Associated With

The Swiss Civil Code was largely influenced by the German BGB.

Source Swiss Civil Code (Wikipedia)
Mecelle, Codes

Turkey directly replaced the Mecelle with a lightly modified version of the Swiss Civil Code in 1926, under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, making the Swiss code the Mecelle's direct successor in Turkish law.

Source Mecelle (Wikipedia)
Napoleonic Code, Codes

The Swiss Civil Code was partly influenced by the French Napoleonic Code alongside the German BGB.

Source Swiss Civil Code (Wikipedia)

Authored By

Eugen Huber, Jurists
Source Eugen Huber (Wikipedia)

In Legal System

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Swiss Civil Code (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Date Enacted and Effective section
  • Associated With: Napoleonic Code, Influences section
    largely influenced by the German civil code, and partly influenced by the French civil code.
  • Associated With: Burgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB), Influences section
    largely influenced by the German civil code, and partly influenced by the French civil code.
2. Eugen Huber (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Biography section
    In 1892, he was asked by the Swiss government to draft the Swiss civil code (Zivilgesetzbuch), which he completed in 1904. It was enacted in 1907 and entered into force in 1912.
  • Authored By: Eugen Huber
Mecelle (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: Mecelle, Legacy section
Quote, Associated With: Mecelle, Legacy section
remained in force in Turkey until 1926, Albania until 1928, Lebanon until 1932, Syria until 1949, Iraq until 1953, Cyprus until the 1960s, and the British Mandate for Palestine and later Israel formally until 1984.
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