Editing Karl Schenk (section)

== Life and work ==
Schenk was born in 1823 in [[Bern]], [[Switzerland]], as the son of Christian Schenk. At the age of eleven, he became an orphan and lived in [[Korntal]] (Germany). From 1839 to 1842 he attended school in Bern and then studied [[theology]]. He completed his studies at the age of 22. In 1845 he became vicar and later pastor at [[Schüpfen]]. In 1848, he married Elise Kähr. The couple had nine children, two of which died at young age.

He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 12 December 1863 and died in office 31 years later, on 18 July 1895. He was affiliated with the [[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland]].

During his time in office he held the following departments:
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1864)
*[[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs|Political Department]] (Foreign ministry) as [[President of the Confederation (Switzerland)|President of the Confederation]] (1865)
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1866 - 1870)
*Political Department as President of the Confederation (1871)
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1872)
*[[Department of Finance (Switzerland)|Department of Finance]] (1872)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/de/home/das-efd/der-departementsvorsteher/ueli-maurer/fruehere-departmentsvorsteher.html|title=Frühere Departmentsvorsteher/Innen}}</ref>
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1873)
*Political Department as President of the Confederation (1874)
*[[Department of Railway and Trade]] (1875 - 1877)
*Political Department as President of the Confederation (1878)
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1879 - 1884)
*Political Department as President of the Confederation (1885)
*[[Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|Department of Home Affairs]] (1886 - 1895)
He was [[President of the Confederation (Switzerland)|President of the Confederation]] six times in 1865, 1871, 1874, 1878, 1885 and 1893.

Schenk also served as President of the [[Swiss Red Cross]] from 1873–1882.

=== Death and legacy ===
Schenk died 1895 in [[Bern]], and was buried at [[Bremgartenfriedhof]].

The local museum of [[Langnau im Emmental]] "Chüechlihus" includes a section on him. ''Schenkstrasse'' in Bern is named after him. Further, the house at Spitalgasse 4 in the city of Bern is named ''Karl-Schenk-Haus'' and its passage ''Karl-Schenk-Haus-Passage'' or ''Karl-Schenk-Passage''.