René Gardi

René Gardi (* March 1, 1909 in Bern, † March 8, 2000 ) was a Swiss travel writer, photographer and filmmaker.

Life

After studying mathematics, physics and zoology at the University of Bern, he was from 1932 to 1945 a secondary school teacher in Brugg in Biel and then worked as a freelance writer and guest speaker.

Especially with his Boy Scout books and boys' novels, he first made a name for himself as a writer. After 1945, he turned more and more to the travel and travel writing. Preferred destinations were first Scandinavia, then from 1948 onwards Africa and New Guinea, particularly the southern Sahara and the north of Cameroon, so the " African hinterland ," whose simplicity and originality fascinated him for life.

His travels he documented in several books and in the two films Mandara (1959) and The last caravans (1967). He received several literary awards and it was in 1967 by the University of Bern the title of a Dr. hc awarded ethnology.

Awards (selection)

Works

Youth books

  • Black water. A Scout history, Sauerland, Aarau 1943
  • Court in the camp. A boys story, Sauerland, Aarau 1944
  • Hans, the young Rhine boatmen. A story about life in the stream, Sauerland, Aarau 1950
  • With the wind rose in his buttonhole. With transport pilots all over the world, Sauerland, Aarau 1951
  • Mountain people of the desert, SJW, Zurich 1951
  • Propeller above the clouds, SJW, Zurich 1953
  • Fish drown, SJW, Zurich 1954
  • From rag and reindeer, SJW, Zurich 1955
  • The Lost stone ax. A boys story, Sauerland, Aarau 1958
  • Lake-dwellers of today, SJW, Zurich 1958
  • Among black fishermen, SJW, Zurich 1961
  • Alligator hunting in the lagoons, SJW, Zurich 1968

Travel books

  • With backpack, tent and cooking pot. A little hiking book, Sauerland, Aarau 1936
  • Puoris päivä! In the river boat and on foot through Finnish Lapland, Main, Bern 1939
  • Finland. All sorts about the country and people, Sauerland, Aarau 1940
  • The stranger at the Tana. A History of Lapland, Sauerland, Aarau 1945
  • Nordland. Under fishermen on coast of Norway, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1946
  • Whale hunting. Experiences with whalers on the Norwegian coast, Sauerland, Aarau 1947
  • Blue veils, red tents. A journey into the wonderland of the southern Sahara, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1950
  • Chad. Experiences in the pristine wilderness around Lake Chad, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1952
  • Spitsbergen. Land of the cool coast, main, Bern 1952
  • From auspicious hiking. A breviary for travel enthusiasts, mpa, Bern 1952
  • Mandara. Unknown mountains in Cameroon, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1953
  • The black Hephaestus. A picture book about the forging of Matakam in the Mandara Mountains north of Cameroon and their primitive art to attract iron, self- Verlag, Bern 1954
  • From frohgemuten holidays, mpa, Bern 1955
  • Kirdi. Among the pagan tribes in the mountains and marshes north of Cameroon, joke, Bern 1955
  • Tambaran. Encounter with the setting cultures in New Guinea, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1956
  • Sepik - Land of the dying spirits. Image documents from New Guinea, joke, Bern 1958
  • From the Mediterranean to Chad (collective picture album ), Tobler, Bern 1959
  • Reunion with Lapland (collective picture album ), Tobler, Bern 1961
  • If you go to Syria ... (together with Klaus Schädelin ), joke, Bern 1958
  • Black Arcadia, Orell Füssli, Zurich 1962
  • Sardinia (collective picture album ), Tobler, Bern 1963
  • Provence (collective picture album ), Tobler, Bern 1963
  • Kiligei. Cheerful and serious experience in Africa, Sauerland, Aarau 1964
  • From guys and codgers. Encounters on the road, good fonts, Bern 1967
  • Sahara. Monograph of a large desert, mpa, Bern 1967
  • Under African artisans. Encounters and experiences in West Africa, self- Verlag, Bern 1969
  • Heiteres from Africa. Small stories from my diaries, Benteli, Bern 1969
  • Rock art in the Sahara Tassili n'Ajjer, Hallwag ( Orbis Pictus 52 ), Bern 1969
  • Cram Cram. Experiences around the Air Mountains in the southern Sahara, Benteli, Bern 1971
  • Also in the mud house great place to be. About traditional building and living in West Africa, self- Verlag, Bern 1973
  • Ladies and gentlemen, Benteli, Bern 1974
  • Wisdom and foolishness, Benteli, Bern 1975
  • Tenere. The desert in which they started fish. Between Sahara and the Sahel. Report on three trips to the East of the Republic of Niger, Benteli, Bern 1978
  • Alantika. Forgotten mountains in northern Cameroon. Report on two trips at a distance of twenty-five years, self- publishing, Bern 1981

Movies

  • Mandara. Magic of the black wilderness ( with Charles Zbinden ), 1959
  • The glassmakers of Bida ( Swiss with Ulrich ), 1963
  • Nous, les autres ( Swiss with Ulrich ), 1964
  • The last caravans ( Swiss with Ulrich ), 1967
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