Robert Walser is considered a renowned rambler. His writings are full of extended walks and leisurely strolls. Carl Seelig contributed significantly to his image as the »King of the ramblers« with his memoir, Walks with Walser.
We have traced some of the hikes of Carl Seelig and Robert Walser on Swisstopo's digital maps. You can use all the tools of the map experts: display the official hiking trails and public transport stops as well as go on 'time travels' with old maps.
Carl Seelig regularly visited Robert Walser in psychiatric clinic Herisau from 1934 until his passing in 1956. The two went on longer and shorter walks, during which eating and drinking was not overlooked.
The 45 walks that Seelig describes in Walks with Walser are only partially traceable. In many places, it is unclear which precise paths were taken.It is probable that they often opted for main roads that carried limited traffic at the time. Today, there are numerous hiking trails in the region. We have presented a selection of the walks with maps for you to explore – they are approximations based on the text, companions of Seelig's descriptions, which can be modified according to your mood and interpretation.
The maps are to be understood as an invitation to explore the region where Robert Walser spent the last 23 years of his life.
The individual text excerpts can be found in: Carl Seelig: Walks with Walser. Translated by Anne Posten. New York: New Directions Publishing 2017 (New Directions Paperbook; 1373).
