Markus Werner facts for kids

Markus Werner (German: [vɛʀneʀ]) was a famous Swiss writer. He was born on December 27, 1944, and passed away on July 3, 2016. He wrote many popular novels, like Zündel’s Exit, On the Edge, and Die kalte Schulter (Cold Shoulder).

His Early Life and Career

Markus Werner was born in Eschlikon, a town in Switzerland. In 1948, his family moved to Thayngen. He finished school there in 1965.

After school, he went to the University of Zürich. He studied German language and literature, philosophy, and psychology. In 1974, he earned a special degree about the writer Max Frisch. Frisch's work was very important to Werner.

From 1975 to 1985, Markus Werner worked as a teacher. Then, from 1985 to 1990, he was a professor at a high school in Schaffhausen. After 1990, he stopped teaching to focus only on writing books. In 2002, he became a member of an important German writing group. He lived in Schaffhausen until he passed away in 2016.

What His Books Are About

Markus Werner's novels often feature characters who have quit their jobs. He describes everyday life through their eyes. He writes in a calm way, but also with surprise, sadness, and humor.

His stories show scenes where the world seems too clear or even funny. His characters sometimes find it hard to deal with these situations. Simple, everyday problems can really affect them. Things like people not listening or being cold-hearted are shown in a funny and sad way.

Werner saw normal things as strange. He would wonder about them like a child. His characters wanted to be allowed to make mistakes. They also wanted to have flaws. They believed that being too sure of yourself was not a good thing. They wanted love, but sometimes they also felt angry at the world and themselves.

Awards He Won

Markus Werner won many awards for his writing. Here are some of them:

• 1984 Prize of the Jürgen Ponto Foundation
• 1984 and 1993 special awards from the Swiss Schiller Foundation
• 1986 Georg Fischer Prize from the city of Schaffhausen
• 1990 Alemannic Literature Prize
• 1993 Thomas Valentin Literature Prize
• 1995 Prix littéraire Lipp; International Bodensee Literature Prize
• 1997 Preis der SWR-Bestenliste
• 1999 Hermann-Hesse-Literaturpreis
• 2000 Joseph Breitbach Prize (shared with Ilse Aichinger and W. G. Sebald)
• 2002 Johann Peter Hebel Prize
• 2005 Life achievement Award from the Swiss Schiller Foundation
• 2006 Bodensee Literature Prize

His Main Books

Here are some of the novels Markus Werner wrote:

• Zündels Abgang (Zündel’s Departure), 1984
• Froschnacht (Frog Night), 1985
• Die kalte Schulter (Cold Shoulder), 1989
• Bis bald (Till Soon), 1992
• Festland (Mainland), 1996
• Der ägyptische Heinrich (The Egyptian Heinrich), 1999
• Am Hang (On the Edge), 2004

His Books in English

Some of Markus Werner's books have been translated into English so more people can read them:

• Zündel's Exit, translated by Michael Hoffman, 2013
• On the Edge, translated by Robert E. Goodwin, 2014
• Cold Shoulder, translated by Michael Hoffman, 2016