Writing

Johanna Spyri

Born — Died

1827-06-12 — 1901-07-07

Place of birth

Hirzel [now Horgen], Zürich, Switzerland

Known for

Writing

Credits

4 titles

IMDb profile

Johanna Louise Spyri (née Heusser; 12 June 1827 – 7 July 1901) was a Swiss author of novels, notably children's stories, and is best known for her book Heidi. Born in Hirzel, a rural area in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers near Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels. In 1852, Johanna Heusser married Bernhard Spyri. Bernhard was a lawyer. Whilst living in the city of Zürich she began to write about life in the country. Her first story, A Leaf on Vrony's Grave, which deals with a woman's life of domestic violence, was published in 1880; the following year further stories for both adults and children appeared, among them the no…

Known for

7.8

Swiss girl Adelheid 'Heidi' is orphaned young. Aunt Detie brings her to grandpa Alp and his wife, who live isolated in the Alps since his murder charge. Heidi soon takes to the wild country, especially accompanying young goatherd Peter. Grandpa refuses to send her to school in the city, but aunt Detie returns and forces him to give in. She's sent to a posh lady in Frankfurt, where she'll be a companion for crippled daughter Clara after school hours.

Heidi

2005

10.0

This movie is about one summer holiday in the life of the famous children's book character Heidi, the orphan girl who lives with her grandfather (whom Heidi, like everybody else including the cast list, calls "Alm Uncle") on the outskirts of a small village in the Alps. Heidi has a gift of three carved wooden figures made by a craftsman neighbour: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. However, rather than gold, frankincense, and myrrh, her grandfather and the village doctor gradually teach Heidi the idea that the gifts they bring are faith, charity and hope.