Hermann Alfred Tanner
Who was Hermann Alfred Tanner?
Swiss photographer and occidentalist
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Hermann Alfred Tanner (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Hermann Alfred Tanner was born on October 16, 1873, in Bern, Switzerland, into a family with roots in publishing. His father was a publisher, which influenced Tanner’s career from a young age. He trained as a printer, gaining industry knowledge before partnering with his father to start a newspaper company. This early experience in printing shaped his career for many years.
Tanner became the director of several periodicals, focusing particularly on winter sports in Switzerland. This work put him at the heart of the growing interest in alpine recreation during the early 20th century when skiing and mountaineering were becoming popular pastimes among Europe’s middle class. His passion for mountaineering extended beyond writing about it; he was an active participant and authored several books on the topic throughout his life.
During World War I, Tanner worked as a war correspondent, reporting from the front lines. He first covered Eastern Europe, particularly Galicia and surrounding areas, before moving to the Italian front. As a neutral Swiss citizen, his reports offered a unique view of the war. During this time, he became known as Major Tanner.
In addition to journalism and mountaineering, Tanner explored various intellectual interests. He was involved with color theory and, in 1920, patented a device to help determine color harmony. This invention showed his interest in applying aesthetic principles in practical ways. He also supported Occidental, a constructed international language aimed at easing communication across language barriers. Tanner helped the Occidental movement by translating several books into this language.
Tanner spent his final years in Bern, where he was born. He passed away after a period of illness and mental decline on September 1, 1961. His career stretched over a period of significant change in European society, from the Belle Époque through two world wars to the postwar era. As a publisher, correspondent, mountaineering author, and language advocate, his work touched on many cultural shifts during that time.
Before Fame
Growing up in Bern in the 1870s and 1880s, Tanner was raised in a family that worked in publishing. His father's job gave him firsthand experience with the mechanics and business of print from a young age. Instead of following strictly academic or commercial paths, he chose to train formally as a printer, learning the craft hands-on before eventually helping his father start a newspaper company. This background in both the technical and business sides of publishing laid the groundwork for Tanner's later career in editing.
During Tanner's youth and early adulthood, Switzerland had a vibrant press culture with a growing interest in alpine sports and outdoor activities. In the late nineteenth century, more money was being poured into railway infrastructure, making mountain regions more accessible to tourists and increasing public interest in content about Switzerland's alpine areas. Tanner's interests in publishing and mountaineering were a perfect fit for this cultural moment, allowing him to contribute to publications that catered to a growing audience of winter sports enthusiasts.
Key Achievements
- Co-founded a newspaper company with his father and directed multiple periodicals focused on Swiss winter sports
- Served as a war correspondent during the First World War, reporting from Galicia and the Italian front
- Patented a colour harmony determination device in 1920
- Translated several works into the constructed language Occidental, supporting its international promotion
- Published multiple books on mountaineering throughout his career
Did You Know?
- 01.Tanner patented a device for determining colour harmony in 1920, applying a theoretical interest in aesthetics to a practical, patentable invention.
- 02.He reported as a war correspondent from Galicia during the First World War, one of the most contested and devastated regions of the Eastern Front.
- 03.Tanner was a supporter of Occidental, a constructed language created by Edgar de Wahl in 1922, and translated multiple books into it to aid its dissemination.
- 04.He was widely referred to as Major Tanner, a designation that followed him throughout his public career and distinguished him from other members of his family in the publishing world.
- 05.Despite working primarily in journalism and publishing, Tanner authored several books on mountaineering, reflecting a personal commitment to alpine sport that went well beyond professional interest.