Robert Walser (; 15 April 1878 – 25 December 1956) was a German language Swiss writer. He additionally worked as a copyist, an inventor's assistant, a butler, and in various other low-paying trades. Despite marginal early success in his literary career, the popularity of his work gradually diminished over the second and third decades of the 20th century, making it increasingly difficult for him to support himself through writing. He eventually had a nervous breakdown and spent the remainder of his life in sanatoria.

Life and work

1878–1897

Born Robert Otto Walser, he was the second-youngest of eight children of Adolf Walser (1833–1914), a trained bookbinder who owned a workshop producing stationery goods and picture frames, and his wife Elisabeth (Elisa) Walser (1839–1894). He was eventually diagnosed with catatonic schizophrenia. While he was in the mental home, his state of mind quickly returned to normal, and he went on writing and publishing. Walser made increasing use of what he called his "pencil method" (Bleistiftmethode), a two-stage compositional process he had reportedly developed as early as 1917. Working drafts of poems, prose pieces, dramatic scenes and even an entire novel (The Robber) were first written in pencil in a minuscule Kurrent hand — the so-called "microscripts" (Mikrogramme) — whose letters measured barely more than a millimetre in height by the end of this phase. In a second working stage, Walser selected from these drafts and copied them out in ink as fair copies, often editing in the process, before submitting them to editors for publication. Only a portion of the microscript drafts were ever transferred into fair copies; comparatively few drafts survive from the Waldau years, with more fair copies and published texts extant from that period.

In 1936, his admirer Carl Seelig began to visit him. He later wrote a book, Wanderungen mit Robert Walser, about their talks. Seelig tried to revive interest in Walser's work by re-issuing some of his writings. After the death of Walser's brother Karl in 1943 and of his sister Lisa in 1944, Seelig became Walser's legal guardian. Though free of outward signs of mental illness for a long time, Walser was crotchety and repeatedly refused to leave the sanatorium.

In 1955, Walser's novella The Walk (Der Spaziergang) was translated into English by Christopher Middleton; it was the first English translation of his writing and the only one that would appear during his lifetime. Upon learning of Middleton's translation, Walser, who had fallen out of the public eye, responded by musing "Well, look at that."

Walser enjoyed long walks alone. On 25 December 1956 he was found, dead of a heart attack, in a field of snow near the asylum. The photographs of the dead Walser in the snow are reminiscent of a similar image of a dead man in the snow in his first novel, Geschwister Tanner.

Writings and reception

Today, Walser's texts, completely re-edited since the 1970s, are regarded as among the most important writings of literary modernism. In his writing, he made use of elements of Swiss German in a charming and original manner, while very personal observations are interwoven with texts about texts; that is, with contemplations and variations of other literary works, in which Walser often mixes pulp fiction with high literature. Walser has been regarded as the missing link between Heinrich von Kleist and Franz Kafka. As Susan Sontag writes, "at the time [of Walser's writing], it was more likely to be Kafka [who was understood] through the prism of Walser." For example, Robert Musil once referred to Kafka's work as "a peculiar case of the Walser type."

Walser was admired early on by Kafka and writers such as Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, and Walter Benjamin, and was in fact better known during his lifetime than Kafka or Benjamin were known in theirs. He never belonged to a literary school or group, perhaps with the exception of the circle around the magazine Die Insel in his youth, but was a notable and often published writer before World War I and into the 1920s. After the second half of the latter decade, he was rapidly forgotten, in spite of Carl Seelig's editions, which appeared almost exclusively in Switzerland but received little attention.

Walser was rediscovered only in the 1970s, even though famous German writers such as Christian Morgenstern, Franz Kafka, Walter Benjamin, Thomas Bernhard and Hermann Hesse were among his great admirers. Since then, almost all his writings have become accessible through an extensive republication of his entire body of work. He has exerted a considerable influence on various contemporary German writers, including Ror Wolf, Peter Handke, W. G. Sebald, and Max Goldt. In 1967, Walser's piece 'Kleist in Thun' was published in 0 to 9 magazine. A revival of interest in his work arose when, in the late 20th century and early 2000s, his writings from "the Pencil Zone", also known as Bleistiftgebiet or "the Microscripts", which had been written in a coded, microscopically tiny hand using a form of Kurrent script on scraps of paper collected while in a Waldau sanatorium, were finally deciphered, translated, and published.

In 2004, Spanish writer Enrique Vila-Matas published a novel entitled Doctor Pasavento about Walser, his stay on Herisau and the wish to disappear. In 2007, Serbian writer Vojislav V. Jovanović published a book of prose named Story for Robert Walser inspired by the life and work of Robert Walser. In 2012, A Little Ramble: In the Spirit of Robert Walser, a series of artistic responses to Walser's work was published, including work by Moyra Davey, Thomas Schütte, Tacita Dean and Mark Wallinger.

Robert Walser Center

The Robert Walser Center, which was officially established in Bern, Switzerland, in 2009, is dedicated to Robert Walser and the first patron of Walser's work and legacy, Carl Seelig. Its purpose is to promulgate Walser's life and work as well as to facilitate scholarly research. The center is open to both experts and the general public and includes an extensive archive, a research library, temporary exhibition space, and two rooms with several workstations are also available. The Center furthermore develops and organizes exhibitions, events, conferences, workshops, publications, and special editions. The translation of Robert Walser's works, which the Center both encourages and supports, also represents a key focus. In order to fully meet its objectives and responsibilities as a center of excellence, it often collaborates on certain projects with local, national, and international partners as well as universities, schools, theaters, museums, archives, translators, editors, and publishers.

Works

German

  • Der Teich, 1902, verse drama
  • Schneewittchen, 1901, verse drama
  • Fritz Kochers Aufsätze, 1904
  • Geschwister Tanner, 1907
  • Der Gehülfe, 1908
  • Poetenleben, 1908
  • Jakob von Gunten, 1909
  • Gedichte, 1909
  • Aufsätze, 1913
  • Geschichten, 1914
  • Kleine Dichtungen, 1915
  • Prosastücke, 1917
  • Der Spaziergang, 1917
  • Kleine Prosa, 1917
  • Poetenleben, 1917
  • Tobold-Roman, 1918
  • Komödie, 1919
  • Seeland, 1920
  • Theodor-Roman, 1921
  • Die Rose, 1925
  • Der Räuber, 1925 (published 1978)
  • 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
  • Der Spaziergang. Prosastücke und Kleine Prosa., 1985
  • Aufsätze, 1985
  • Bedenkliche Geschichten. Prosa aus der Berliner Zeit 1906–1912, 1985
  • Träumen. Prosa aus der Bieler Zeit 1913–1920, 1985
  • Die Gedichte, 1986
  • Komödie. Märchenspiele und szenische Dichtung, 1986
  • Wenn Schwache sich für stark halten. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1921–1925, 1986
  • Zarte Zeilen. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1926, 1986
  • Es war einmal. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1927–1928, 1986
  • Für die Katz. Prosa aus der Berner Zeit 1928–1933, 1986
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Unsere Stadt. Texte über Biel. 2002
  • Feuer. Unbekannte Prosa und Gedichte. 2003
  • 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),
  • 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,
  • Selected Stories (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1982; New York Review Books Classics, 2002), translated by Christopher Middleton,
  • Robert Walser Rediscovered: Stories, Fairy-Tale Plays, & Critical Response Including the Anti-Fairy Tales, Cinderella & Snow White (University Press of New England, 1985)
  • Masquerade and Other Stories (The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • The Robber (University of Nebraska Press, 2000), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • Speaking to the Rose: Writings, 1912–1932 (University of Nebraska Press, 2005), translated by Christopher Middleton,
  • The Assistant (New Directions, 2007), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • The Tanners (New Directions, 2009), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • Microscripts (New Directions, 2010), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • Answer to an Inquiry (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010), translated by Paul North, with drawings by Friese Undine,
  • Berlin Stories (New York Review Books Classics, 2012), translated by Susan Bernofsky,
  • The Walk (New Directions, 2012), translated by Christopher Middleton with Susan Bernofsky,
  • Thirty Poems (New Directions, 2012), translated by Christopher Middleton,
  • Oppressive Light: Selected Poems by Robert Walser (Black Lawrence Press/Dzanc Books, New York, 2012), edited and translated by Daniele Pantano,
  • A Little Ramble: In the Spirit of Robert Walser (New Directions, 2012), translated by Susan Bernofsky with Christopher Middleton and Tom Whalen
  • A Schoolboy's Diary (New York Review Books Classics, 2013), translated by Damion Searls, introduction by Ben Lerner,
  • Looking at Pictures (Christine Burgin / New Directions, 2015), translated by Susan Bernofsky with Lydia Davis and Christopher Middleton,
  • 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,
  • Little Snow Landscape (New York Review Books, 2021), trans. Tom Whalen
  • Robert Walser: The Poems (Seagull Books, 2022), translated by Daniele Pantano
  • My Heart Has So Many Flaws: Early Poems (Sublunary Editions, 2024), translated by Kristofor Minta

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, director: Gökçen Ergene
  • Fairy Tales: Dramolettes (New Directions, 2015), translated by James Reidel and Daniele Pantano, with a preface by Reto Sorg,
  • Comedies (Seagull Books, 2018), translated by Daniele Pantano and James Reidel, with a preface by Reto Sorg,

Movies

  • 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 (free picturization of Seelig's Wanderungen mit Robert Walser)
  • Robert Walser (1974–1978), direction and script: HHK Schoenherr
  • Waldi, direction and script: Reinhard Kahn, Michael Leiner (after 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
  • Blanche Neige, directed by Rudolph Straub, music by Giovanna Marini, 1999
  • de Neve, director: João César Monteiro, 2000
  • All This Can Happen, directors: Siobhan Davies, David Hinton, 2012

Opera

  • Schneewittchen, 1998, by Heinz Holliger

References

Further reading

In English

In German

In English

  • Robert Walser Center (official site of the Robert Walser archive and society in Bern, with information, documentation, and resources about the writer's life and work)
  • "A Celebration of the Work of Swiss Writer Robert Walser on KCRW's Bookworm
  • Swiss Literary Archive
  • "The Lightest Touch" review of A Schoolboy's Diary at The Millions
  • "A Prose Piece for Your Gaps" Review of A Schoolboy's Diary at Open Letters Monthly

In German

  • Robert Walser Center
  • Robert Walser-Pfad, Herisau
  • Kritische Walser Ausgabe
  • Robert Walser Preis