Werke. Berner Ausgabe

Robert Walser is still to be discovered as a letter writer. His letters are not merely the private side of his work, but an integral part of it. Therefore, the Bern edition of Walser's works is introduced with a new, comprehensive edition of his letters. It provides insight into the living conditions of Walser's 'poet's life' between Zurich, Berlin, Biel, Bern, and Herisau. In the letters, we get to know Walser within his extensive network, which ranges from his closest siblings to Hesse and Hofmannsthal. We witness how cleverly and persistently he asserts his literary survival against publishers and editors. In the struggle for line fees and in his critical commentary on the present, the alert, worldly Walser becomes audible. In contrast, his private correspondence reveals a playful and witty Walser, especially in the letters to his long-time friend.