Carl Seelig (May 11, 1894, Zurich – February 15, 1962, Zurich) was a German-Swiss writer and patron. He was best known as a friend, promoter and guardian of Robert Walser and the first biographer of Albert Einstein.^[1]

Life

Seelig was brought into the world as the child of Karl Wilhelm, a proprietor of a silk dye works and a mountaineer, and Julie Alwine née Kuhn. His marital journey encompassed two unions: firstly with Maria Margareta Deutsch, and later with Martha Suter. His academic pursuits led him to attend grammar school in Zurich and Trogen. He embarked upon studies in jurisprudence in Zurich, although he did not attain a degree. During the 1920s, his initial ventures into literature surfaced, encompassing both poetry and prose.

His subsequent trajectory included roles as a writer and a publisher. This phase of his career transitioned into that of an independent literary figure, encompassing roles such as a theatre and film reviewer, editor, and author. Notably, he undertook the role of a biographer, delving into the life of Albert Einstein. Additionally, he carved a distinct identity as a champion and supporter, particularly for authors in exile and for Robert Walser. In fact, he assumed the roles of editor, custodian, and executor for Walser, which culminated in his portrayal of him in "Wanderungen mit Robert Walser" (1957). It was translated for the first time into the English, Walks with Walser, by Anne Posten in 2017.^[2]

He was literarily active at early age. Through his work as editor of several anthologies, and a silent partner in the Viennese publisher EPTal & Co, he entered into contact with many German writers, and proved to be especially sensitive.

His production was enormously rich and varied: from poetry and folk song collections to collaborator to Albert Einstein's Mein Weltbild. An international libraries overview counted 163 published works, in 294 publications and 13 languages. He also employed the pseudonym Thomas Glohn for some of his written works.^[3] Seelig's recorded correspondents were, among others, Max Brod, Hans Henny Jahnn, Alfred Polgar and Joseph Roth. He also maintained close contacts with Swiss authors, most notably Robert Walser, whom he accompanied on his walks, giving rise to the biographical work, Wanderungen mit Robert Walser,

The Swiss Literary Archives store, as a long-term loan, approximately 6,000 manuscript pieces by Seelig.

As a testament to his dedication, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Carl Seelig Foundation in 1966. Notably, this foundation underwent a name change in 2004, becoming recognized as the Robert Walser Foundation.^[4]

Bibliography

References