Johanna Louise Spyri (German: [joˈhana ˈʃpiːri]; néeHeusser[ˈhɔʏsər]; 12 June 1827 – 7 July 1901) was a Swiss author of novels, notably children's stories. She wrote the popular book Heidi. Born in Hirzel, a rural area in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers near Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels.
Johanna Spyri
Johanna Spyri, 1879
Born
Johanna Louise Heusser (1827-06-12)12 June 1827 Hirzel, Switzerland
Died
7 July 1901(1901-07-07) (aged 74) Zürich, Switzerland
In 1852, Johanna Heusser married Bernhard Spyri. Bernhard was a lawyer. Whilst living in the city of Zürich she began to write about life in the country. Her first story, A Leaf on Vrony's Grave, which deals with a woman's life of domestic violence, was published in 1880; the following year further stories for both adults and children appeared, among them the novel Heidi, which she wrote in four weeks. Heidi tells the story of an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps, and is famous for its vivid portrayal of the landscape.
Her husband and her only child, both named Bernhard, 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. An icon in Switzerland, Spyri's portrait was placed on a postage stamp in 1951 and on a 20 CHF commemorative coin in 2009.
Gravesite at Sihlfeld cemetery in Zurich
Plagiarism claim
In April 2010 a professor searching for children's illustrations found a book written in 1830 by a German history teacher, Hermann Adam von Kamp, that Spyri may have used as a basis for Heidi. The 1830 story is titled Adelheide - das Mädchen vom Alpengebirge—translated, "Adelaide, the girl from the Alps". The two stories were alleged to share many similarities in plot line and imagery. Spyri biographer Regine Schindler said it was entirely possible that Johanna may have been familiar with the story as she grew up in a literate household with many books.[1] However, the professor's claims have been examined and afterwards described as "unscientific", due to 'superficial coincidences' he brings up in descriptions and the many actual differences in the story, that he doesn't, as well as the "Swiss disease" of homesickness already being a common trope in fiction in the eighteenth (nineteenth in the article) century (as well as, while not mentioned in the article, it being discovered before von Kamp was even born) and characters that are either drastically different or not in "Adelaide", at all.[2]
Bibliography
The following is a list of her main books:
Heimatlos: Two stories for children, and for those who love children (1877)
Her books were originally written in German. The translations into English at the end of the 19th century, or the early 1900s, mention H. A. Melcon (1839–1910), Maria Louise Kirk (1860–1938), Emma Stelter Hopkins, Louise Brooks, Helen B. Dole and the couple Charles Wharton Stork and Elisabeth P. Stork.
References
^"Ur-Heidi aus dem Ruhrpott. Ist Johanna Spyris Alpengeschichte geklaut?" [Ur-Heidi from the Ruhrpott. Is Johanna Spyri stealing Alpine history?]. 3sat (in German). Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
^Geisel, Sieglinde (14 April 2010). "Gibt es für Johanna Spyris "Heidi" eine Vorlage? Ein deutscher Germanist meint, sie gefunden zu haben: Die Mär vom Ur-Heidi" [Is there an original for Johanna Spyri's "Heidi"? A German Germanist thinks they have found: The story of Ur-Heidi]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German).
Works by Johanna Spyri at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
April 29, 2023
johanna, spyri, johanna, louise, spyri, german, joˈhana, ˈʃpiːri, née, heusser, ˈhɔʏsər, june, 1827, july, 1901, swiss, author, novels, notably, children, stories, wrote, popular, book, heidi, born, hirzel, rural, area, canton, zurich, switzerland, child, spen. Johanna Louise Spyri German joˈhana ˈʃpiːri nee Heusser ˈhɔʏser 12 June 1827 7 July 1901 was a Swiss author of novels notably children s stories She wrote the popular book Heidi Born in Hirzel a rural area in the canton of Zurich Switzerland as a child she spent several summers near Chur in Graubunden the setting she later would use in her novels Johanna SpyriJohanna Spyri 1879BornJohanna Louise Heusser 1827 06 12 12 June 1827Hirzel SwitzerlandDied7 July 1901 1901 07 07 aged 74 Zurich SwitzerlandOccupationShort story writer novelistGenreChildren s literature adult literatureNotable worksHeidi Contents 1 Biography 2 Plagiarism claim 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditIn 1852 Johanna Heusser married Bernhard Spyri Bernhard was a lawyer Whilst living in the city of Zurich she began to write about life in the country Her first story A Leaf on Vrony s Grave which deals with a woman s life of domestic violence was published in 1880 the following year further stories for both adults and children appeared among them the novel Heidi which she wrote in four weeks Heidi tells the story of an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps and is famous for its vivid portrayal of the landscape Her husband and her only child both named Bernhard 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 Zurich An icon in Switzerland Spyri s portrait was placed on a postage stamp in 1951 and on a 20 CHF commemorative coin in 2009 Gravesite at Sihlfeld cemetery in ZurichPlagiarism claim EditIn April 2010 a professor searching for children s illustrations found a book written in 1830 by a German history teacher Hermann Adam von Kamp that Spyri may have used as a basis for Heidi The 1830 story is titled Adelheide das Madchen vom Alpengebirge translated Adelaide the girl from the Alps The two stories were alleged to share many similarities in plot line and imagery Spyri biographer Regine Schindler said it was entirely possible that Johanna may have been familiar with the story as she grew up in a literate household with many books 1 However the professor s claims have been examined and afterwards described as unscientific due to superficial coincidences he brings up in descriptions and the many actual differences in the story that he doesn t as well as the Swiss disease of homesickness already being a common trope in fiction in the eighteenth nineteenth in the article century as well as while not mentioned in the article it being discovered before von Kamp was even born and characters that are either drastically different or not in Adelaide at all 2 Bibliography EditThe following is a list of her main books Heimatlos Two stories for children and for those who love children 1877 Heidi 1880 81 The Story of Rico 1882 Uncle Titus and His Visit to the Country 1883 Gritli s Children 1883 84 Rico and Wiseli 1885 Veronica And Other Friends 1886 What Sami Sings with the Birds 1887 Toni the Little Woodcarver 1890 Erick and Sally 1891 Mazli 1891 Cornelli 1892 Vinzi A Story of the Swiss Alps 1892 Moni the Goat Boy 1897 Little Miss Grasshopper 1898 Her books were originally written in German The translations into English at the end of the 19th century or the early 1900s mention H A Melcon 1839 1910 Maria Louise Kirk 1860 1938 Emma Stelter Hopkins Louise Brooks Helen B Dole and the couple Charles Wharton Stork and Elisabeth P Stork References Edit Ur Heidi aus dem Ruhrpott Ist Johanna Spyris Alpengeschichte geklaut Ur Heidi from the Ruhrpott Is Johanna Spyri stealing Alpine history 3sat in German Archived from the original on 2012 07 30 Retrieved 2020 02 05 Geisel Sieglinde 14 April 2010 Gibt es fur Johanna Spyris Heidi eine Vorlage Ein deutscher Germanist meint sie gefunden zu haben Die Mar vom Ur Heidi Is there an original for Johanna Spyri s Heidi A German Germanist thinks they have found The story of Ur Heidi Neue Zurcher Zeitung in German External links Edit Works by or about Johanna Spyri at Wikisource Media related to Johanna Spyri at Wikimedia Commons Works by Johanna Spyri in eBook form at Standard Ebooks Works by Johanna Spyri at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Johanna Spyri at Internet Archive Works by Johanna Spyri at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Works by Johanna Spyri at Classicreader com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Johanna Spyri amp oldid 1146394683, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
