author
Otto Henne am Rhyn
1828–1914
A Swiss writer, historian, and journalist, he became known for sweeping works of cultural history that helped popularize the story of civilization for German-speaking readers. His career also took him through teaching, editing, and many years as a state archivist in St. Gallen.
2 Audiobooks
Kurzgefaßte Symbolik der Freimaurerei.
by Otto Henne am Rhyn
About the author
Born in St. Gallen in 1828, Otto Henne am Rhyn studied history, philosophy, and law in Bern and Geneva. After marrying Elisabeth am Rhyn in 1858, he added her family name to his own and went on to build a varied literary and scholarly career.
He worked as a teacher, journalist, editor, and for many years as state archivist of the canton of St. Gallen. Reference works describe him as a historian and journalist as well as a writer, and note that his large-scale cultural histories were an important contribution to the German tradition of Kulturgeschichte, or the history of civilization.
Alongside archival and editorial work, he published widely on history and culture, aiming at broad, curious readers rather than a narrow academic audience. He died in Weiz in 1914, leaving behind a substantial body of historical and literary writing.