Keller, Gottfried

Gottfried Keller was born in Zurich, Switzerland. His father was a lathe-worker who died in 1824. Keller grew up in poverty and he attended a charity school. After he had been expelled from a vocational school he began to train as an artist. In 1840, he enrolled at the Munich Kunstakademie, but due to financial problems and because he achieved little he returned to Zurich in 1842. He abandoned painting and began to write. In 1844–1845, he came into contact with German immigrants, which led to his involvement with the riots in Luzern.