Robert Walser

Robert Walser (1878–1956) was a Swiss writer. Born in Biel, he first worked as a clerk in banks and insurance companies in Zurich after completing a banking apprenticeship. In 1905 he moved to Berlin, where he published three novels in quick succession: *The Tanners* (1907), *The Assistant* (1908), and *Jakob von Gunten* (1909). His work also includes poetry, feuilletonistic prose, and short plays. Following a psychological crisis, Walser lived in the Herisau psychiatric institution from 1933 onward and stopped writing. He died in 1956 during a walk in the snow.