Writers, artists, National Museum

Switzerland has well-known writers. Johanna Spyri wrote the book «Heidi» in 1880. It tells the story of a girl who lives with her grandfather in the mountains of Graubünden. Heidi has been translated into more than 50 languages and often made into films. She is the most famous character in Swiss literature.

Max Frisch (1911-1991) and Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990) were important writers of the 20th century. Frisch wrote, for example, the novel «Homo faber». Dürrenmatt wrote the play «Der Besuch der alten Dame» (The Visit). Both criticised the society of their time and are still read in schools today.

Women artists from Switzerland are also internationally known. Sophie Taeuber-Arp was a pioneer of modern art. She was on the former 50-franc note. Pipilotti Rist makes video art today. Niki de Saint Phalle made large, colourful female figures, the «Nanas». One hangs in the hall of Zurich main station. She came from France and became Swiss by marrying the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely.

The Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum) in Zurich stands next to the main station. It is the most important museum for Swiss history. It shows how Switzerland came into being: from the Middle Ages to today. The building looks like a castle. Art such as paintings by the Impressionists, on the other hand, can be seen at the Kunsthaus.

Memory aid: Frisch and Dürrenmatt: two men with a pen, not a brush. Taeuber-Arp, Rist, Saint Phalle: three women with brush and camera.