author
Theodor Meyer-Merian
1818–1867
A Swiss doctor who also became a widely read storyteller, he wrote for everyday readers and was especially known for lively popular fiction. His life moved between medicine, teaching, and literary work in 19th-century Basel.
1 Audiobook
Sicherer Wegweiser zu einer guten und gesunden Wohnung Zwei Preisschriften
by Theodor Meyer-Merian, Johann Jakob Balmer
About the author
Born in Basel on January 14, 1818, he studied medicine in Basel and Freiburg and earned his doctorate in 1842. He worked as an assistant physician, later opened his own practice, and also qualified as a lecturer. In 1846, after his marriage into the Merian family, he began using the name Meyer-Merian.
Alongside his medical career, he built a strong reputation as a writer. Contemporary reference works describe him not only as a physician but also as a poet and popular author, and later accounts note that he was especially appreciated by ordinary readers in Switzerland.
He remained closely tied to civic and hospital life in Basel, serving for many years in a leading role at the Bürgerspital. He died in Basel on December 5, 1867, leaving behind a career that joined public service, medicine, and accessible literature.