Helen Meier
- February 13, 2021
- 91 years
About Helen Meier
Helen Meier, 91, Swiss writer.
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Full Biography
|Helen Meier (17 April 1929 – 13 February 2021) was a Swiss writer and teacher. She wrote eight collections of short stories and three novels, and was awarded a number of prizes, including the Rauris Literature Prize, the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung prize twice, the Droste-Preis, and Culture Prizes from the Kantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
Biography
Meier was born in Mels in 1929. Meier attended a Lehrerseminar [de] in Rorschach and subsequently became a primary schoolteacher. After working in England, France, and Italy, she attended the University of Fribourg, studying languages and education. She subsequently worked for the Swiss Red Cross and as a special education teacher in Heiden. She began writing at the age of 55 in 1984, when she submitted a short story, Lichtempfindlich, for the Ingrid Bachmann Competition at the Festival of German-Language Literature. The story won the Ernst-Willner Prize and became part of her first published collection, Trockenwiese. Meier went on to publish regularly, and wrote eight collections of short stories and three novels. She was awarded a number of prizes, including the Rauris Literature Prize, the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung twice, the Droste-Preis, and Culture Prizes from the Kantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
Meier's last publication was a set of fairytales she had written as a young woman, The White Bird, the Hat, and the Princess, which was published in 2019.
Helen Meier died in a rest home in Trogen on her birthday, 13 February 2021, at the age of 91, after suffering from dementia.
Awards
- Ernst-Willner-Preis [de] (1984)
- Rauris Literature Prize (1985)
- Prize of the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung [de] (1985)
- Prize of the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung (2000)
- Contribution to Pro Helvetia (2000)
- Droste-Preis (2000)
- Kulturpreis des Kantons St. Gallen (2001)
- Kulturpreis des Kantons Appenzell Ausserrhoden (2017)
Works
- Trockenwiese (1984)
- Das einzige Objekt in Farbe (1985)
- Das Haus am See (1987)
- Das Gelächter (1989)
- Lebenleben (1989)
- Der Thurgau und seine Menschen (1990)
- Die Suche nach dem Paradies. 36 Photographien aus dem Appenzellerland (1991)
- Nachtbuch (1992)
- Die Thur. Von der Quelle bis zur Mündung (1992)
- Die Novizin (1995)
- Letzte Warnung (1996)
- Liebe Stimme (2000)
- Adieu, Herr Landammann! Sieben Begegnungen mit Jacob Zellweger-Zuberbühler (2001)
- Schlafwandel. Eine Erzählung (2006)
- Kleine Beweise der Freundschaft (2014)
- Die Agonie des Schmetterlings. Böse Geschichten (2015)
- Übung im Torkeln entlang des Falls. Ein Lesebuch (2017)
- Der weisse Vogel, der Hut und die Prinzessin. 23 Märchen (2019)
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Meier
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Helen Meier's archived record and the sources above.
1.In which Swiss town was Helen Meier born in 1929?
- A.Melscorrect
- B.Rorschach
- C.Heiden
- D.Trogen
The biography states that Helen Meier was born in Mels in 1929.
Source: Biography section
2.Which occupation did Helen Meier hold before she began writing professionally at the age of 55?
- A.Bank clerk
- B.Librarian
- C.Primary schoolteachercorrect
- D.Journalist
Helen Meier attended a Lehrerseminar and subsequently became a primary schoolteacher.
Source: Biography section
3.What is the title of the short story Helen Meier submitted to the Ingrid Bachmann Competition in 1984?
- A.Lichtempfindlichcorrect
- B.Nachtbuch
- C.Trockenwiese
- D.Die Novizin
Helen Meier began writing in 1984 by submitting the short story Lichtempfindlich for the Ingrid Bachmann Competition.
Source: Biography section
4.How many novels did Helen Meier write during her literary career?
- A.Eight
- B.Twelve
- C.Threecorrect
- D.Two
The biography explicitly mentions that Helen Meier wrote eight collections of short stories and three novels.
Source: Biography section
5.In which city did Helen Meier die on February 13, 2021?
- A.Heiden
- B.Mels
- C.Trogencorrect
- D.Rorschach
Helen Meier died in a rest home in Trogen on 13 February 2021.
Source: Biography section
6.Which of these prizes was awarded to Helen Meier twice?
- A.Schweizerische Schillerstiftung prizecorrect
- B.Rauris Literature Prize
- C.Ernst-Willner-Preis
- D.Droste-Preis
Helen Meier was awarded the Schweizerische Schillerstiftung prize twice, in 1985 and 2000.
Source: Awards section
7.What subject did Helen Meier study at the University of Fribourg?
- A.Languages and educationcorrect
- B.Biology and psychology
- C.Mathematics and philosophy
- D.History and literature
After her time working abroad, Helen Meier attended the University of Fribourg, where she studied languages and education.
Source: Biography section
8.At what age did Helen Meier begin her writing career in 1984?
- A.55correct
- B.45
- C.60
- D.50
The biography states that Helen Meier began writing at the age of 55 in 1984.
Source: Biography section
9.What was the title of Helen Meier's final publication, released in 2019?
- A.Schlafwandel
- B.Kleine Beweise der Freundschaft
- C.Letzte Warnung
- D.The White Bird, the Hat, and the Princesscorrect
The last publication by Helen Meier was a set of fairytales titled The White Bird, the Hat, and the Princess.
Source: Biography section
10.Besides primary school teaching, what other specific teaching role did Helen Meier perform in Heiden?
- A.Special education teachercorrect
- B.Music teacher
- C.Art teacher
- D.Gymnastics teacher
Helen Meier worked for the Swiss Red Cross and as a special education teacher in Heiden.
Source: Biography section
11.Which year was Helen Meier awarded the Kulturpreis des Kantons Appenzell Ausserrhoden?
- A.2017correct
- B.2019
- C.2014
- D.2001
The award list confirms Helen Meier received the Kulturpreis des Kantons Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 2017.
Source: Awards section
12.Which of these works by Helen Meier was published in 1989?
- A.Nachtbuch
- B.Die Novizin
- C.Lebenlebencorrect
- D.Das Haus am See
According to the works list, Lebenleben was published in 1989.
Source: Works section
13.Helen Meier died from which condition according to the biography?
- A.Cancer
- B.Pneumonia
- C.Dementiacorrect
- D.Heart failure
The text states that Helen Meier died after suffering from dementia.
Source: Biography section
14.Which prize was won by the short story 'Lichtempfindlich'?
- A.Ernst-Willner Prizecorrect
- B.Rauris Literature Prize
- C.Droste-Preis
- D.Culture Prize of St. Gallen
The story Lichtempfindlich won the Ernst-Willner Prize and was included in her first collection.
Source: Biography section
15.In which city did Helen Meier attend a Lehrerseminar?
- A.Fribourg
- B.Heiden
- C.Rorschachcorrect
- D.Mels
Helen Meier attended a Lehrerseminar in Rorschach before becoming a primary schoolteacher.
Source: Biography section
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