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Johanna Spyri

 

(born June 12, 1827, Hirzel, Switz. — died July 7, 1901, Zürich) Swiss writer. Living in Zürich with her lawyer husband, Spyri wrote books, many widely translated, that are imbued with her love of her homeland, feeling for nature, unobtrusive piety, and cheerful wisdom. She is best remembered for her popular novel Heidi (1880 – 81), a classic of children's literature about an orphan sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss mountains.

For more information on Johanna Spyri, visit Britannica.com.

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German Literature Companion: Johanna Spyri
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Spyri, Johanna (Hirzel nr. Zurich, 1829-1901, Zurich), née Heußer, married a Zurich lawyer. A successful and sensitive writer for children, she is the author of Heidis Lehr und Wanderjahre and Heidi kann brauchen, was es gelernt hat (both 1881), books which in translation have been much read by children in other countries.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Johanna Spyri
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Spyri, Johanna (yōhän'ä shpē'), 1827-1901, Swiss author. Her many stories of child life in Switzerland include Heidi (1880; tr. 1884), a classic among children's books. Heidi, the story of an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps, is notable for its scenic description and its understanding of children's views and emotions.
Dictionary: Spy·ri   (spîr'ē, shpîr'ē) pronunciation, Johanna
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1827?-1901.

Swiss writer whose best-known children's story is Heidi (1880).


Wikipedia: Johanna Spyri
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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 18277 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


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
German Literature Companion. The Oxford Companion to German Literature. Copyright © 1976, 1986, 1997, 2005 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more
Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Johanna Spyri" Read more