Franz Schnyder

Franz Schnyder (5 March 1910 – 8 February 1993) was a Swiss film and theatre director, actor and film producer. After beginning his career in German and Swiss theatre, he moved into film directing with Gilberte de Courgenay, which became a major success. Schnyder later became known for his adaptations of works by Jeremias Gotthelf, including Uli der Knecht and Uli the Tenant. He also directed Heidi und Peter, which was the first Swiss colour film released in cinemas.

Life and career Franz Schnyder was born on 5 March 1910 in Burgdorf. He grew up there, the son of engineer Maximilian Schnyder and Fanny Louise Steiner. From 1937 to 1939, he acted and directed at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin and also worked as a guest director at the Munich Kammerspiele.

In 1941, Praesens Film hired Schnyder to direct Gilberte de Courgenay after Swiss immigration authorities intervened to prevent refugee filmmaker Leopold Lindtberg from directing another army-oriented film. Schnyder then returned to theatre. He returned to filmmaking in 1954 with Uli der Knecht, his first adaptation of a work by Jeremias Gotthelf. Later that year, Schnyder directed Uli the Tenant, another adaptation of Gotthelf. The documentary briefly improved Schnyder’s relationship with this new generation of Swiss filmmakers.