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Bernard Crettaz

1938 – 2022

Swiss sociologist and writer

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About Bernard Crettaz

Lived 1938 – 2022 (aged 84). Bernard Crettaz was a Swiss writer, sociologist and ethnologist.

Bernard Crettaz (29 May 1938 – 28 November 2022) was a Swiss sociologist and ethnologist.

Biography After his secondary education in Sion, Crettaz earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Geneva in 1979 with the thesis Nomades et sédentaires. He first worked as an assistant at the university before becoming a teacher at the Institut d'études sociales and later a researcher at the Institut de médecine légale sur la prison de Saint-Antoine.

In 1976, Crettaz became curator of the European Department of the Musée d'ethnographie de Genève, which contained the Collection . He also directed the department of sociology at the University of Geneva until 2003. In 1977, he met anthropologist Yvonne Preiswerk, whom he later married. In 1992, he openly supported an accession of Switzerland to the European Union.

In 1982, the asked Crettaz and his wife to co-found the Société d'études thanatologiques de Suisse Romande, of which he served as founding president. In 2002, he moved to Anniviers, where he wrote literature.

Bernard Crettaz died in Austria on 28 November 2022, at the age of 84.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Geneva

People in Bernard Crettaz's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bernard Crettaz's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bernard Crettaz?

Swiss sociologist and writer (1938–2022)

When was Bernard Crettaz born?

Bernard Crettaz was born on 29 May 1938 in Vissoie.

When did Bernard Crettaz die?

Bernard Crettaz died on 28 November 2022 in Austria.

What was Bernard Crettaz's occupation?

Bernard Crettaz was a writer, sociologist and ethnologist.

What nationality was Bernard Crettaz?

Bernard Crettaz was Swiss.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bernard Crettaz

· Wikidata: Q2897723

· DBpedia: Bernard Crettaz

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bernard Crettaz. https://biography.guide/bernard-crettaz/

MLA: "Bernard Crettaz." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bernard-crettaz/.

Chicago: "Bernard Crettaz." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bernard-crettaz/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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