BITZIUS, ALBRECHT (1797-1854), best known by his pen name of "Jeremias Gotthelf," Swiss novelist, was born on Oct. 4, at Morat, where his father was pastor. He studied theol ogy at Bern, took orders in 182o, and from 1832 till his death on Oct. 24, 1854, was pastor of the village of Lutzelfliih, in the Upper Emmenthal (between Langnau and Burgdorf). His first work, the Bauernspiegel, appeared in 1837. It purported to be the life of Jeremias Gotthelf, narrated by himself, and this name was later adopted by the author as his nom de plume. It is a living picture of Bernese (or, strictly speaking, Emmenthal) village life, marked by simplicity, humour, a high moral tone, and scrupulous truth to nature. It at once became very popular. His best known novel is Uli der Knecht (1840, of which an English translation was made by J. Firth, with notes by Ruskin, under the title of Uli the Farm Servant (1888) . His other chief works include Uli der Fackler (1846; a sequel to Uli der Knecht) ; Geld and Geist portraying the patriarchal life of the rich peasant (1842 ; Eng. tr. 1866) ; Jakobs, de Handwerkgesellen, Wanderungen durch Schweiz (1847) ; Zeitgeist and Berner Geist (1852; these two dealing with the political questions of the day) ; Erlebnisse eines Schulden bauers (1854), depicting the struggles of a peasant proprietor; and Kathi die Grossmutter (1847) . He also wrote many short stories.
Hunziker and Ineichen (192o), and his correspondence with K. H. Hagenbach (Iwo).