Hans Jacob Rietmann (5 June 1677 â 22 June 1756) was a Swiss civic leader, belonging to the Rietmann patrician family, who served as mayor of St. Gallen in the 18th century under the cityâÂÂs guild-based constitution. From 1729 to 1756 he held, in triennial rotation, the paired senior magistracies of Amtsbürgermeister and Altbürgermeister as well as Reichsvogt (imperial bailiff).
Rietmann was the son of Jacob Rietmann (a bailiff) and Dorothea Leu. Within the weaversâ guild (Weberzunft) he served as cloth quality inspector, became a member of the council of eleven in 1720, then guild master (Zunftmeister) from 1721 to 1725, and deputy mayor (Unterbürgermeister) from 1725 to 1729.
Under St. GallenâÂÂs corporative constitution, the three top civic officesâÂÂAmtsbürgermeister (acting mayor), Altbürgermeister (senior mayor) and Reichsvogt (imperial bailiff)âÂÂwere held in a triennial rotation among designated magistrates and worked alongside the Kleiner Rat (Small Council).
Rietmann married three times: (1) Katharina Rohner (d. 1721), (2) Weibratha Weyermann, daughter of mayor Ulrich Weyermann, and (3) Elsbetha Zollikofer, daughter of the apothecary Hans Georg Zollikofer. Known children include Jacob (1702âÂÂ1782), a quarter captain, and Pankraz (1706âÂÂ1775), who succeeded his brother in 1767.