Johanna Spyri

Johanna Spyri was born in 1829 in the Swiss village of Hirzel. She loved nature and drew inspiration from it. Her home overlooked the mountains, and many of her personal experiences are reflected in her books. In 1852, she married lawyer Bernhard Spyri and settled with him in Zurich. Despite moving away from her birthplace, she always longed for her countryside home. At the age of forty-three, she began writing the adventures of "Heidi." The book was published ten years later and quickly became a great success, particularly beloved by children. Johanna Spyri also wrote works for adults as well as other children's stories, in which her love for her childhood home is evident. In addition to "Heidi," her other significant works include "A Leaf on Vrony's Grave," "Without a Homeland," and "Gritli." In 1884, fate dealt her a harsh blow. She lost her husband and her only son, little Bernhard. Alone, she devoted herself to philanthropy and, of course, to writing, until her death in 1901.