Robert Walser (writer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Otto Walser
Robert Walser around 1900
Born	(1878-04-15)15 April 1878 Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Died	25 December 1956(1956-12-25) (aged 78) near Herisau, Switzerland
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Swiss
Literary movement	Modernism

Robert Walser (born April 15, 1878 – died December 25, 1956) was a Swiss writer. He wrote in German. Many famous writers, like Franz Kafka and Hermann Hesse, admired his work. In fact, Robert Walser was more famous during his lifetime than Kafka was.

Even though he was well-known, Walser never earned enough money from his writing. He worked many different jobs. He was a copyist, an assistant to an inventor, and even a butler. His books became less popular over time. This made it very hard for him to support himself.

Later in his life, Walser became very ill. He spent his last years in special care homes. He often took long walks during this time. A lot of interest in his work came back much later. This happened when his "Pencil Zone" writings were finally understood. These were tiny, coded writings on scraps of paper. He wrote them while in a care home.

Life and work

Early life (1878–1897)

Robert Walser grew up in a big family. He was born in Biel, Switzerland. His brother, Karl Walser, became a famous stage designer and painter. Robert learned to speak both German and French. This was because Biel is on the border between German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland.

He went to primary school and then to a higher school. But he had to leave before finishing. His family could no longer afford the costs. From a young age, he loved the theater. His favorite play was The Robbers. It was written by Friedrich Schiller. There is even a painting of Walser dressed as Karl Moor, the main character of that play.

From 1892 to 1895, Walser trained at a bank in Biel. After that, he worked for a short time in Basel. In 1894, his mother died after a long illness. In 1895, Walser moved to Stuttgart where his brother Karl lived. He worked in offices there. He also tried to become an actor but did not succeed. He walked back to Switzerland in 1896. He then lived in Zürich. For many years, he worked as an office clerk in different places. He was one of the first Swiss writers to describe the life of a salaried employee in his books.

Writing career begins (1898–1912)

In 1898, a well-known critic, Joseph Victor Widmann, published some of Walser's poems. They appeared in a newspaper called Der Bund. This caught the eye of Franz Blei. Blei introduced Walser to a group of Art Nouveau artists. They were involved with a magazine called Die Insel. Many of Walser's short stories and poems were published there.

Until 1905, Walser mainly lived in Zürich. He moved often and also lived in other Swiss cities. In 1903, he completed his military service. That summer, he worked as an assistant to an engineer. This experience later inspired his 1908 novel, Der Gehülfe (The Assistant). In 1904, his first book came out. It was called Fritz Kochers Aufsätze (Fritz Kocher's Essays).

In 1905, he took a course to become a servant. This theme of serving others appeared in his later work. One example is his 1909 novel, Jakob von Gunten. Later in 1905, he moved to Berlin. His brother Karl, who was a theater painter, introduced him to other artists. Walser sometimes worked as a secretary for an artists' group.

In Berlin, Walser wrote three novels: Geschwister Tanner, Der Gehülfe, and Jakob von Gunten. He also wrote many short stories. These stories often described popular places from the view of a poor "flaneur" (a person who wanders around). His writing was playful and personal. Many people liked his work. Writers like Robert Musil, Kurt Tucholsky, Hermann Hesse, and Franz Kafka admired him.

Walser published many short stories in newspapers and magazines. These became his special style. Most of his work is made up of these short stories. They are like literary sketches that are hard to put into one category. Some of these stories were collected in books like Aufsätze (1913) and Geschichten (1914).

Later years and illness (1913–1929)

In 1913, Walser moved back to Switzerland. He stayed for a short time with his sister Lisa. She worked as a teacher in a mental care home. There, he met Lisa Mermet, a washer-woman. They became close friends. After staying with his father in Biel, he moved into a hotel room. In 1914, his father died.

In Biel, Walser wrote many short stories. They appeared in newspapers and magazines in Germany and Switzerland. Some were published in books like Der Spaziergang (1917) and Die Rose (1925). Walser loved to walk. He started taking very long walks, often at night. His stories from this time often describe a wanderer exploring new places. They also include playful essays about writers and artists.

During World War I, Walser had to serve in the military several times. In 1916, his brother Ernst died after being mentally ill. Walser became quite isolated during this time. Communication with Germany was difficult because of the war. Even though he worked hard, he struggled to earn a living as a writer. In 1921, he moved to Bern to work at a public office. He often changed homes and lived a very lonely life.

While in Bern, Walser's writing style changed. He started writing "micrograms." These were tiny writings made with a pencil. They were very hard to read. He wrote poems, prose, short plays, and novels, including The Robber (Der Räuber). His playful style became more abstract. Many of his texts from this time can be read in different ways. They might seem like simple stories. But they are also complex, full of hidden meanings. He took ideas from serious books and also from popular stories. He would rewrite a pulp novel's plot so much that the original was unrecognizable. He wrote a lot during these very busy years in Bern.

Life in care homes (1929–1956)

In early 1929, Walser had a mental breakdown. He had been having worries and seeing things that weren't there. His sister Fani urged him to go to the Waldau mental care home in Bern. His medical records say he "confessed hearing voices." This suggests he did not go there completely by choice. He was diagnosed with a mental illness that affected his ability to move and speak at times.

While in the care home, his mind quickly became clearer. He continued to write and publish. He used his "pencil method" more and more. He wrote poems and prose in a tiny, old German handwriting style called Sütterlin. The letters were about a millimeter tall. It was very hard to read. Later, experts worked to decipher these writings. In the 1990s, they published a six-volume collection called Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet ('From the Pencil Zone').

Walser was later moved to a care home in Herisau. He did not want to go. After this move, he stopped writing. He told a friend, Carl Seelig, "I am not here to write, but to be mad."

In 1936, Carl Seelig, who admired Walser, began to visit him. Seelig later wrote a book about their talks. It was called Wanderungen mit Robert Walser (Walks with Robert Walser). Seelig tried to make Walser's work popular again. He re-published some of his writings. After his brother Karl died in 1943 and his sister Lisa in 1944, Seelig became Walser's legal guardian. Walser seemed free of mental illness for a long time. But he was stubborn and often refused to leave the care home.

In 1955, Walser's book Der Spaziergang (The Walk) was translated into English. This was the first time his work appeared in English. It was also the only English translation published during his lifetime. When Walser heard about it, he simply said, "Well, look at that."

Walser loved taking long walks by himself. On December 25, 1956, he was found dead in a snowy field near the care home. He had died of a heart attack. Pictures of Walser lying dead in the snow remind people of a similar image in his first novel, Geschwister Tanner.

Robert Walser Center

The Robert Walser Center opened in Bern, Switzerland, in 2009. It is dedicated to Robert Walser and his supporter, Carl Seelig. The center aims to share Walser's life and work with others. It also helps people do research on him.

The center is open to both experts and the public. It has a large archive of his works. It also has a research library and space for temporary exhibits. There are also workstations for visitors. The center creates and organizes exhibits, events, conferences, and workshops. It also publishes books. A main goal is to encourage and support translations of Robert Walser's works. To do all this, the center often works with local and international partners. These include universities, schools, theaters, museums, and publishers.

Works

German works

• Der Teich, 1902, a play in verse
• Schneewittchen, 1901, a play in verse
• Fritz Kochers Aufsätze, 1904 ISBN: 3-518-37601-2
• Geschwister Tanner, 1907 ISBN: 3-518-39982-9
• Der Gehülfe, 1908 ISBN: 3-518-37610-1
• Poetenleben, 1908 ISBN: 3-518-01986-4
• Jakob von Gunten, 1909 ISBN: 3-518-37611-X
• Gedichte, 1909
• Aufsätze, 1913
• Geschichten, 1914
• Kleine Dichtungen, 1915 ISBN: 3-518-37604-7
• Prosastücke, 1917
• Der Spaziergang, 1917 ISBN: 3-518-37605-5
• Kleine Prosa, 1917
• Poetenleben, 1917 ISBN: 3-518-01986-4
• Tobold-Roman, 1918
• Komödie, 1919
• Seeland, 1920 ISBN: 3-518-37607-1
• Theodor-Roman, 1921
• Die Rose, 1925 ISBN: 3-518-37608-X
• Der Räuber, 1925 (published 1978) ISBN: 3-518-37612-8
• Felix-Szenen, 1925
• Große Welt, kleine Welt, 1937
• Dichterbildnisse, 1947
• Dichtungen in Prosa, 1953
• Robert Walser – Briefe, 1979
• Sämtliche Werke in Einzelausgaben. 20 Bde. Hg. v. Jochen Greven. Zürich, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985-1986
• Geschichten, 1985 ISBN: 3-518-37602-0
• Der Spaziergang. Prosastücke und Kleine Prosa., 1985 ISBN: 3-518-37605-5
• Aufsätze, 1985 ISBN: 3-518-37603-9
• Bedenkliche Geschichten. Prosa aus der Berliner Zeit 1906–1912, 1985 ISBN: 3-518-37615-2
• Träumen. Prosa aus der Bieler Zeit 1913–1920, 1985 ISBN: 3-518-37616-0
• Die Gedichte, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37613-6
• Komödie. Märchenspiele und szenische Dichtung, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37614-4
• Wenn Schwache sich für stark halten. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1921–1925, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37617-9
• Zarte Zeilen. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1926, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37618-7
• Es war einmal. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1927–1928, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37619-5
• Für die Katz. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1928–1933, 1986 ISBN: 3-518-37620-9
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 1. Mikrogramme 1924/25. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-03234-8
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 2. Mikrogramme 1924/25. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-03234-8
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 3. Räuber-Roman, Felix-Szenen. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-03085-X
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 4. Mikrogramme 1926/27. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-40224-2
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 5. Mikrogramme 1925/33. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-40851-8
• Aus dem Bleistiftgebiet Band 6. Mikrogramme 1925/33. Hg. v. Bernhard Echte u. Werner Morlang i. A. des Robert Walser-Archivs der Carl Seelig-Stiftung, Zürich. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1985–2000 ISBN: 3-518-40851-8
• Unsere Stadt. Texte über Biel. 2002 ISBN: 3-907142-04-7
• Feuer. Unbekannte Prosa und Gedichte. 2003 ISBN: 3-518-41356-2
• Tiefer Winter. Geschichten von der Weihnacht und vom Schneien. Hg. v. Margit Gigerl, Livia Knüsel u. Reto Sorg. Frankfurt: Insel Taschenbuch Verlag 2007 (it; 3326), ISBN: 978-3-458-35026-2
• Kritische Robert Walser-Ausgabe. Kritische Ausgabe sämtlicher Drucke und Manuskripte. Hg. v. Wolfram Groddeck, Barbara von Reibnitz u.a. Basel, Frankfurt am Main: Stroemfeld, Schwabe 2008
• Briefe. Berner Ausgabe. Hg. v. Lucas Marco Gisi, Reto Sorg, Peter Stocker u. Peter Utz. Berlin: Suhrkamp Verlag 2018

English translations

• Jakob von Gunten (University of Texas Press, 1970; New York Review Books Classics, 1999), translated by Christopher Middleton, ISBN: 0-940322-21-8
• Selected Stories (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1982; New York Review Books Classics, 2002), translated by Christopher Middleton, ISBN: 0-940322-98-6
• Robert Walser Rediscovered: Stories, Fairy-Tale Plays, & Critical Response Including the Anti-Fairy Tales, Cinderella & Snow White (University Press of New England, 1985) ISBN: 0-87451-334-0
• Masquerade and Other Stories (The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 0-8018-3977-7
• The Robber (University of Nebraska Press, 2000), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 0-8032-9809-9
• Speaking to the Rose: Writings, 1912–1932 (University of Nebraska Press, 2005), translated by Christopher Middleton, ISBN: 0-8032-9833-1
• The Assistant (New Directions, 2007), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 978-0-8112-1590-9
• The Tanners (New Directions, 2009), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 978-0-8112-1589-3
• Microscripts (New Directions, 2010), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 978-0-8112-1880-1
• Answer to an Inquiry (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010), translated by Paul North, with drawings by Friese Undine, ISBN: 978-1933254746
• Berlin Stories (New York Review Books Classics, 2012), translated by Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 978-1-59017-454-8
• The Walk (New Directions, 2012), translated by Christopher Middleton with Susan Bernofsky, ISBN: 9780811219921
• Thirty Poems (New Directions, 2012), translated by Christopher Middleton, ISBN: 978-0811220019
• Oppressive Light: Selected Poems by Robert Walser (Black Lawrence Press/Dzanc Books, New York, 2012), edited and translated by Daniele Pantano, ISBN: 978-1-93687-318-0
• A Little Ramble: In the Spirit of Robert Walser (New Directions, 2012), translated by Susan Bernofsky with Christopher Middleton and Tom Whalen ISBN: 978-0811220996
• A Schoolboy's Diary (New York Review Books Classics, 2013), translated by Damion Searls, introduction by Ben Lerner, ISBN: 9781590176726
• Looking at Pictures (Christine Burgin / New Directions, 2015), translated by Susan Bernofsky with Lydia Davis and Christopher Middleton, ISBN: 9780811224246
• Girlfriends, Ghosts, and Other Stories (New York Review Books Classics, 2016), translated by Tom Whalen, with Nicole Kongeter and Annette Wiesner, afterword by Tom Whalen, ISBN: 978-1681370163
• Little Snow Landscape (New York Review Books, 2021), trans. Tom Whalen
• Robert Walser: The Poems (Seagull Books, 2022), translated by Daniele Pantano

Plays

• Robert Walser – mikrogramme – das kleine welttheater, director: Christian Bertram, stage: Max Dudler, music: Hans Peter Kuhn, début performance 14 April 2005 Berlin; readings, films and podium discussion with corollary program www.mikrogramme.de
• "Institute Benjamenta" – (listening to a plateau which people call the world), Director: Gökçen Ergene, [1]
• Fairy Tales: Dramolettes (New Directions, 2015), translated by James Reidel and Daniele Pantano, with a preface by Reto Sorg, ISBN: 978-0-8112-2398-0
• Comedies (Seagull Books, 2018), translated by Daniele Pantano and James Reidel, with a preface by Reto Sorg, ISBN: 978-0857424693

Movie and musical adaptations

• Jakob von Gunten, director: Peter Lilienthal, script: Ror Wolf and Peter Lilienthal, 1971
• Der Gehülfe, director: Thomas Koerfer, 1975
• Der Vormund und sein Dichter, direction and script: Percy Adlon, 1978 (a movie based on Seelig's Wanderungen mit Robert Walser)
• Robert Walser (1974–1978), direction and script: HHK Schoenherr
• Waldi, direction and script: Reinhard Kahn, Michael Leiner (based on the story Der Wald), 1980
• The Comb, directors: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay (i.e. Brothers Quay), 1990
• Brentano, director: Romeo Castellucci, with Paolo Tonti as Brentano, 1995
• Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life, directors: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay (i.e. Brothers Quay) with Mark Rylance as Jakob von Gunten, 1995
• Schneewittchen, 1998, an opera by Heinz Holliger
• Blanche Neige, directed by Rudolph Straub, music by Giovanna Marini, 1999
• Branca de Neve[2], director: João César Monteiro, 2000
• All This Can Happen, directors: Siobhan Davies, David Hinton, 2012

Sources

• Walter Benjamin: Robert Walser, 1929 (essay) Full text
• Susan Bernofsky: Clairvoyant of the Small: The Life of Robert Walser. 2021 ISBN: 978-0300220643
• Susan Bernofsky: "Introduction to the Microscripts." 2012 978-0811220330
• Carl Seelig: Wanderungen mit Robert Walser, 1957 ISBN: 3-518-01554-0
• Robert Mächler: Das Leben Robert Walsers, 1976 ISBN: 3-518-39986-1
• Robert Walser – Leben und Werk in Daten und Bildern, 1980
• Die Brüder Karl und Robert Walser. Maler und Dichter., 1990 ISBN: 3-907960-37-8
• Jochen Greven: Robert Walser. Figur am Rande in wechselndem Licht, 1992 ISBN: 3-596-11378-4
• Catherine Sauvat: Vergessene Welten. Biographie zu Robert Walser., 1993 ISBN: 3-905208-01-6
• Bernhard Echte: Walsers Kindheit und Jugend in Biel. Biographischer Essay., 2002 ISBN: 3-907142-05-5
• Lukas Märki: Auf den Spuren Robert Walsers. Interaktive CD-ROM., 2002 ISBN: 3-907142-07-1
• Wolfram Groddeck, Reto Sorg, Peter Utz, Karl Wagner (Hrsg.): Robert Walsers 'Ferne Nähe'. Neue Beiträge zur Forschung. 2. Edition. Fink, München 2008 [1. Ed. 2007], ISBN: 978-3-7705-4517-9
• Lucas Marco Gisi: "Das Schweigen des Schriftstellers. Robert Walser und das Macht-Wissen der Psychiatrie". In: Martina Wernli (Hrsg.): Wissen und Nicht-Wissen in der Klinik. Dynamiken der Psychiatrie um 1900. Bielefeld: transcript 2012, S. 231–259, ISBN: 978-3-8376-1934-8
• W.G. Sebald: "Le Promeneur Solitaire: On Robert Walser" from a Place in the Country. trans. Jo Catling 2014 ISBN: 978-1400067718
• Lucas Marco Gisi (ed.): Robert Walser-Handbuch. Leben – Werk – Wirkung. Metzler, Stuttgart 2015, ISBN: 978-3-476-02418-3

See also

In Spanish: Robert Walser para niños