Ruth Erat (born 3 August 1951 in Herisau, Switzerland) is a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

teacher, author,

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

, and politician.

Life

Erat grew up in

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

and Arbon and holds a degree from the University of Zurich. She obtained her

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

in 1985 after completing a thesis on

Mechthild of Magdeburg Mechthild (or Mechtild, Matilda, Matelda) of Magdeburg (c. 1207 – c. 1282/1294), a Beguine, was a Christian medieval mystic, whose book ''Das fließende Licht der Gottheit'' (''The Flowing Light of Divinity'') is a compendium of visions, ...

. After completing her education, she began work as a teacher and as a district school superintendent at the teacher training college in

Rorschach Rorschach may refer to: * Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist ** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots * Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen'' * Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic * ...

. She has also worked as a painter and writer. In 1999 she participated in the Ingeborg Bachmann Competition in Klagenfurt. Erat resides in

Rheineck Rheineck is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Rheintal in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Rheineck is first mentioned about 1163 as ''castellum Rinegge''. In 1218 it was mentioned as ''Rinegg''. An older ...

, where she also served from 1991 to 2001 as a council member. Her party affiliation was with the

Social Democratic Party of Switzerland The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz; SP; rm, Partida Socialdemocrata da la Svizra) or Swiss Socialist Party (french: Parti socialiste suisse, it, Partito Socialista Svizzero; PS), is a polit ...

. Ruth Erat is an author of narrative works and a member of the Association of Authors in Switzerland, the artists' professional association Visarte and the Swiss Werkbund. ''Visarte'' represents the interests of professional visual artists in Switzerland.

Works

* ''Do sprach dú ellende Sele,'' Zürich 1985 * ''Moosbrand'',

Suhrkamp Verlag Suhrkamp Verlag is a German publishing house, established in 1950 and generally acknowledged as one of the leading European publishers of fine literature. Its roots go back to the "arianized" part of the S. Fischer Verlag. In January 2010 the ...

, Frankfurt am Main 1999

Awards

* 1990 Workers' Literature Prize (Arbeiter Literaturpreis) * 1995 Recognition Price by Culture Departement St. Gallen * 2000 Book Award Canton Berne * 2021 Main Award ''Akademie für gesprochenes Wort'', Stuttgart

References

1951 births Living people 20th-century Swiss painters 21st-century Swiss painters Swiss women painters 20th-century Swiss women artists 21st-century Swiss women artists {{Switzerland-painter-stub