Jeremias Gotthelf

Jeremias Gotthelf was the pseudonym of the Swiss writer and pastor Albert Bitzius (1797–1854). He was born in Murten on 4 October 1797 and died in Lützelflüh on 22 October 1854. His novels and stories primarily portray rural life in the nineteenth century, combining realistic observation with Christian and humanist themes. His best-known works include *Der Bauernspiegel*, *Uli, der Knecht*, *Uli, der Pächter*, and the novella *Die schwarze Spinne*.