Leutenegger was born 16 January 1940 in the hamlet Höfli near Bichelsee, the oldest of eight siblings, to Alois and Margrith Leutenegger.[1] His parents were destitute and his father primarily worked as textile factory worker in the embroidery factory Traxler AG.[2]
Leutenegger also founded his own construction firm in Switzerland in 1965, Hans Leutenegger AG, a business that continues as of 2012[update]. The company has expanded into employment search and a temporary staffing for engineering positions. He also did some acting, working with Klaus Kinski in the 1985 filmKommando Leopard (Commando Leopard).
