Johanna Spyri

Johanna Louise Heusser
One of Johanna Spyri most common known portraits.
Born	12 June 1827(1827-06-12) Hirzel, Switzerland
Died	7 July 1901 (aged 73) Zürich, Switzerland
Occupation	short story writer, Novelist
Genres	Children's literature, Adult literature
Notable work(s)	Heidi

Johanna Spyri (German pronunciation: [johana ʃpiːʁi]) (12 June 1827 – 7 July 1901) was an author of children's stories, and is best known for Heidi. Born Johanna Louise Heusser in the rural area of Hirzel, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers in the area around Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels.

Biography

In 1852, Johanna Heusser married Bernhard Spyri, a lawyer. While living in the city of Zürich she began to write about life in the country. Her first book titled A Leaf on Vrony's Grave, was published in 1871 and the following year further stories for both adults and children appeared, among them the tale of Heidi that became an instant and enduring success. Heidi, the story of an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather in the Alps, is not only famous for its vivid portrayal of the landscape but also for its understanding of how children see life and their feelings.

Her husband and her only child, a son named Bernard, both died in 1884. Alone, she devoted herself to charitable causes and wrote over fifty more stories before her death in 1901. She was interred in the family plot at the Sihlfeld-A Cemetery in Zürich, Switzerland. An icon in Switzerland, Johanna Spyri's portrait was placed on a postage stamp in 1951 and on a 20 CHF commemorative coin in 2001.

Bibliography (highlights)

in alphabetical order

• Cornelli
• Erick and Sally
• Gritli's Children
• Heidi
• Maezli. A Story of the Swiss Valleys
• Moni the Goat-Boy
• Rico and Wiseli
• Toni, the Little Woodcarver
• Uncle Titus and His Visit to the Country
• Veronica And Other Friends. Two Stories For Children
• What Sami Sings with the Birds

External links

Wikisource has original works written by or about: Johanna Spyri

• Works by Johanna Spyri at Project Gutenberg
• Works by Johanna Spyri at Classicreader.com
• Wilkommen im Heidi-Dorf. "- Johanna Spyri's Life and Works". http://www.heidi-swiss.ch/en/heididorf/johannaspyri01.html.