Peter Rosegger

Location of the bust: "Steirische Ehrengalerie", Burg/Graz |

Peter Rosegger remained attached to his native land for all his life. This attachment is clearly evident in works such as „Die Alpler in ihren Wald- und Dorfgestalten“ („The people of Alpl in forests and villages“) and „Volksleben in der Steiermark - Charakter- und Sittenbilder“ („Traditional life in Styria – characters and customs“). 



1843  Peter Rosegger is born in Alpl near Krieglach.

1869  After writing several small literary works in his youth, Rosegger publishes his first book, „Zither und Hackbrett“ („Zither and Dulcimer“). 

1876  The author goes to Graz, where he founds the monthly magazine „Heimgarten“ („Home garden“).

1877-1881  Rosegger writes with tireless energy. By 1881 he has published 30 volumes. His life’s work consists of a total of 43 volumes. 

1882-1917  Although books are still his life, Rosegger increasingly devotes attention to social projects. He publishes several calls for donations in „Heimgarten“ to which many people respond. Rosegger uses the money to sponsor schools and churches.

1918  Peter Rosegger dies shortly before his 75th birthday in his country house in Krieglach.

Peter Rosegger |

If we were more willing to live for our country, the need to die for it might not arise so often.“ This quotation from the Styrian regional writer who was born on 31 June 1843 in Alpl near Krieglach will probably never lose its relevance.
Peter Rosegger’s works were translated into 22 languages and are still appreciated both internationally and – above all – here in Styria. However, his road to becoming a writer was by no means an easy one.

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As a child, Rosegger worked as a herd boy in the mountain pastures. He also learned to read and write in the school in St. Kathrein am Hauenstein.
It soon became evident that Peter was not strong enough for the arduous work on a farm, and so he was apprenticed to a travelling tailor when he was 16. For five years he accompanied the tailor on his journeys, gaining deep insights into rural communities all over Styria. At intervals he would try his hand as an author and submitted short literary pieces to the Graz newspaper „Tagespost“. Impressed with his talent, the editors helped him to develop as a writer. They gave him the opportunity to train as a bookseller in Ljubljana, but severe homesickness forced him to break off his training there. Finally, he received the opportunity to study free of charge at the commercial school in Graz, where he remained until 1869 and acquired a wide general knowledge. Shortly before finishing school, he published his first book, „Zither und Hackbrett“ („Zither and Dulcimer“).

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In 1872, the year his mother died, the writer met Anna Pichler, whom he married a year later. However, Anna died while giving birth to her second child in 1875.
From then on, Peter Rosegger devoted himself to his writing with even greater zeal – this was his way of coming to terms with the loss of his wife. He went to Graz, where he founded the monthly magazine „Heimgarten“. In 1872 he married his second wife, Anna Knauer. Despite suffering from increasingly severe asthma, Rosegger wrote many books in the following years. His illness could not prevent him from going on lecture tours to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
When his father died in 1893, the writer resolved to pursue social projects as well as literary ones in future. He raised money through calls for donations in „Heimgarten“ and used the funds to build the Protestant Heilandskirche (Church of the Saviour) in Mürzzuschlag and the „forest school“ as well as to rebuild the church of St. Kathrein am Hauenstein which had burned down.