Jeremias Gotthelf
Jeremias Gotthelf, born Albert Bitzius in the late 1790s in Murten, Switzerland, was a notable pastor and author whose works addressed social issues and emphasized individual values. He spent his early years in Utzenstorf, where he received a comprehensive education in language, theology, science, and math at Bern Academy. After becoming a curate following his father's death, Gotthelf traveled extensively before settling in Lützelflüh in 1831, where he served as a pastor and raised a family with his wife Henriette Zeender. His literary career began to flourish in the mid-1830s with the publication of "Der Bauern-Spiegel," a fictional autobiography that boldly critiqued the aristocracy. Gotthelf's writing often reflected his progressive views on education and social reform, influenced by his mentor Heinrich Pestalozzi. Although he achieved some success during his lifetime, his reputation has significantly grown posthumously, with many of his works being recognized as masterpieces that delve into themes of equality and the human experience. His legacy continues to resonate in discussions of 19th-century Swiss literature and social thought.
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Subject Terms
Jeremias Gotthelf
Novelist
- Born: October 4, 1797
- Birthplace: Murten, Kanton Freiburg, Switzerland
- Died: October 22, 1854
- Place of death: Lützelflüh, Kanton Bern, Switzerland
Biography
The son of a pastor, Jeremias Gotthelf was born Albert Bitzius in Murten, Switzerland, in the late 1790’s, but he moved to Utzenstorf as a boy and spent the majority of his childhood there. He remained in Utzenstorf for his first school instruction, and during this time he worked as a field hand on his father’s plots of land. He received a multidisciplinary education at Bern Academy, where he learned to be proficient in language, theology, science, and math. In 1820, he passed a religious exam and began to work as his father’s curate. When his father passed away in 1824, Gotthelf, lacking experience, remained as curate under his friend Ludwig Fankhauser, who was his father’s successor. Gotthelf traveled around for several years as a nomadic curate. Always unhappy with his surroundings, he campaigned for educational reform like his mentor Heinrich Pestalozzi, whom Gotthelf had the opportunity to hear speak.
In 1831 he arrived at Lützelflüh, where he would spend the rest of his life as a pastor. In 1833 he wed Henriette Zeender, the granddaughter of his predecessor, and the two had three children. The mid-1930’s saw Gotthelf’s rise as an author and the publication of his first book, Der Bauern-Spiegel: Oder, Lebensgeschichte des Jeremias Gotthelf; Von ihm selbst beschrieben, a fictitious autobiography that caused quite a stir because it openly questioned the aristocracy and valued the individual above everything else. This was just the first book in which Gotthelf tried to pass himself off as an uneducated common pastor when he was in fact a very intelligent man from a long line of prominent pastors. Glamorous and prestigious positions, such as president of the administrative commission of the boarding school at Trachselwald and editing the annual Neuer Berner Kalender, provided further inspiration for his writing, and he continued writing until his death in 1854. Although he enjoyed success during his lifetime, much of his fame came after his death. His reputation has continued to grow as historians have unearthed previously ignored masterpieces.