Maurice Zermatten (22 October 1910, in Saint-Martin, Valais – 11 February 2001, in Sion) was a French-speaking Swiss writer. He was born in Saint-Martin, Valais, a small village situated in the Val d'Hérens, in the canton of

Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...

. He was first educated at the Ecole normale and then at the University of Fribourg.

Career

He published his first novel ''Le Coeur inutile'' in 1936 at the age of 26. He taught at the College of Sion where he stayed until retirement. In 1952, he became a lecturer in (French Literature) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich. Maurice Zermatten also performed a military career leading him to the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He dedicated himself to several literary genres like

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

storytelling Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing narrative, stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatre, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cul ...

, theatre pieces, and

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

. Zermatten published about 120 books; most of them are novels. Zermatten described the novel as ''"a complete kind where the author creates characters, history and environment. It is a fiction that reflects reality as it draws its imagination in life."'' He dedicated works to writers: Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, Léon Savary,

Rainer Maria Rilke René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet and novelist. Acclaimed as an Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic and expressive poet, he is widely recognized as ...

, Gonzague de Reynold and also to painters : Théodore Stravinski, Charles Menge, Georges Borgeaud, Paul Monnier and Ferdinand Dubuis.

Personal life

Maurice Zermatten is also Jean Zermatten's father.

Prizes and distinctions

Zermatten won several distinctions like: (1938 and 1956), Grand prix catholique de littérature for all his work (1959), Gottfried Keller Prize (1959), (1960), He also became Officier de l’Ordre du mérite national français des arts et des lettres and Bourgeois d'honneur de la ville de Sion (1976) 1910 births 2001 deaths People from Hérens District Swiss writers in French University of Fribourg alumni People from Sion, Switzerland Academic staff of ETH Zurich {{Switzerland-writer-stub