Switzerland remembers Friedrich Dürrenmatt

Friedrich Dürrenmatt is remembered as one of Europe's finest dramatists Keystone

Switzerland has been marking the anniversary of the death of one of its most renowned modern authors, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, who died ten years ago.

His death was marked by a series of events in the city of Zurich, including a ramble around the places he frequented. One of his most famous public speeches from 1990 was to be re-enacted on stage this weekend.

Dürrenmatt was born in 1921 in a small town in the Emmental, and died on December 14, 1990, at the age of 69. His plays, including “The Visit” (1956), and “The Physicists” (1962), won him a reputation as one of Europe’s finest dramatists.

He published mystery novels, short stories and radio plays, and later in life also made a name for himself as a painter. Among the many awards he won was the prestigious Schiller prize.

About six million copies of his literary works have been sold. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages, and some have been made into films.

In his work, Dürrenmatt developed a unique style in which he sought to expose the grotesque nature of the human condition. He was seen as a harsh critic of Switzerland and many of its institutions.

In September, a new museum devoted to Dürrenmatt opened near Neuchatel, where the author and artist had lived for more than 30 years.

swissinfo with agencies