author
Emil Ertl
1860–1935
An Austrian poet and novelist who brought everyday craftspeople and regional life into literature, he was also a longtime librarian whose work stayed closely tied to Vienna and Graz.
1 Audiobook
Der Berg der Läuterung
by Emil Ertl
About the author
Born in Vienna in 1860, he studied law before turning to philosophy and art history, later earning a doctorate. After travels in Italy, he settled in Graz, where he worked at the library of the Technical University and eventually led it for many years.
He became known as an Austrian poet and writer whose novels, stories, and poems often drew on local history, middle-class life, and the world of traditional urban trades. Several reference sources describe him as especially connected with the culture of Vienna while also remaining an important literary figure in Graz and Styria.
He died in 1935. A well-known portrait photograph of him was taken around 1927 by Rudolf Koppitz, and his reputation has continued through Austrian biographical and literary reference works.