author
Gottfried Keller
1819–1890
A major Swiss voice of literary realism, he turned ordinary lives into vivid stories full of wit, irony, and sharp observation. He is best known for Green Henry and the novella cycle Seldwyla Folks, works that helped define 19th-century German-language fiction.
7 Audiobooks
Martti Salander: Romaani
by Gottfried Keller
German Fiction
by Theodor Fontane, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Gottfried Keller, Theodor Storm
Die Leute von Seldwyla — Band 1
by Gottfried Keller
Seven Legends
by Gottfried Keller
Seldwyla Folks: Three Singular Tales
by Gottfried Keller
Novelleja
by Gottfried Keller
Die Leute von Seldwyla — Band 2
by Gottfried Keller
About the author
Born in Zürich on July 19, 1819, Gottfried Keller first trained as a painter after being expelled from school as a teenager. His early years were difficult, and after studying art in Munich he gradually turned toward writing, developing the close, detailed eye for everyday life that became a hallmark of his fiction.
Keller went on to become one of Switzerland’s most important German-language writers and a leading figure in literary realism. His best-known books include Green Henry (Der grüne Heinrich) and Seldwyla Folks (Die Leute von Seldwyla), and his work is often praised for combining humor, social insight, and memorable portraits of Swiss life.
He also served for years as First Official Secretary of the canton of Zürich, balancing public service with his literary career. Keller died on July 15, 1890, but his stories and novellas remain central to the German-speaking literary tradition.