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Werner Kaegi

1901 – 1979

Swiss historian

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About Werner Kaegi

Lived 1901 – 1979 (aged 78). Werner Kaegi was a Swiss writer, historian, university teacher, non-fiction writer and translator.

Werner Kaegi (February 22, 1901 – June 15, 1979) was a Swiss historian. He is best known for a single work, a biography of Jacob Burckhardt. This appeared in seven volumes, from 1947 to 1982.

He was the recipient of the Gottfried-Keller-Preis and the Erasmus Prize.

His wife was the Catholic mystic and stigmatist Adrienne von Speyr (1902–1967). Her spiritual director and friend, the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, kept a journal during many years about her life in which details regarding her relationship with Werner Kaegi can be found. This journal was later edited in 3 volumes under the name "Erde und himmel" ("Earth and heaven").

Kaegi became a foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1948 and a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1976.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Employers
University of Basel
Awards
Erasmus Prize; Gottfried-Keller-Preis; Honorary doctor of Leiden University

People in Werner Kaegi's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Werner Kaegi's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Werner Kaegi?

Swiss historian (1901-1979)

When was Werner Kaegi born?

Werner Kaegi was born on 26 February 1901 in Oetwil am See.

When did Werner Kaegi die?

Werner Kaegi died on 15 June 1979 in Basel.

What was Werner Kaegi's occupation?

Werner Kaegi was a writer, historian, university teacher, non-fiction writer and translator.

What nationality was Werner Kaegi?

Werner Kaegi was Swiss.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Werner Kaegi

· Wikidata: Q117789

· DBpedia: Werner Kaegi

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Werner Kaegi. https://biography.guide/werner-kaegi/

MLA: "Werner Kaegi." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/werner-kaegi/.

Chicago: "Werner Kaegi." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/werner-kaegi/.

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