Charles Ferdinand Ramuz

The 200 Swiss franc note once featured the likeness and an artistic impression of the works of Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, a writer whose career spanned the early to mid-twentieth century. Born in Lausanne in 1878, he became a prominent figure in literature, producing a vast body of novels, essays, and poetry while maintaining his deep connections to his native Switzerland.

Early Life and Education

Ramuz was born in the canton of Vaud and received his education at the University of Lausanne. His intellectual foundations were built within the Zofingia student society. Following his studies, he held brief teaching positions in Aubonne and Weimar, Germany. In 1903, he relocated to Paris, where he remained until the onset of World War I, intermittently returning to Switzerland. During his time in the French capital, he composed a thesis focused on the poet Maurice de Guérin and published his initial collection of poems, Le petit village.

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Literary and Artistic Contributions

Upon returning to his homeland in 1914, Ramuz established himself as a versatile writer, essayist, and librettist. He is notably recognized for his collaboration with Igor Stravinsky, providing the libretto for the composition Histoire du soldat. His bibliography is extensive, featuring works such as Aline, Jean-Luc persécuté, and La grande peur dans la montagne. His creative output also included critical assessments of art, specifically his 1943 work on René Auberjonois.

Adaptations and Recognition

Several of his novels transitioned from the page to the screen, notably La séparation des races, which was adapted into the 1933 film Rapt, directed by Dimitri Kirsanoff and featuring a score by Arthur Honegger. Later, his 1915 novel La Guerre dans le Haut Pays served as the source material for the 1998 film War in the Highlands, directed by Francis Reusser and starring Marion Cotillard. Throughout his life, his contributions were honored with the Rambert Award in 1912, the Gottfried-Keller-Preis in 1927, and the Schiller prize in 1936.

Personal Life and Final Years

Ramuz married the Swiss painter Cecile Cellier in 1913, and the couple had one child, Marianne. He was also a grandfather to Guido Olivieri, born in 1940. He lived in the home known as La Muette in Pully, where a museum dedicated to his life and work now stands. Ramuz died in 1947 and was buried at the Pully cemetery.