Head and shoulders image of Dr. Curt Wittlin, Languages and Linguistics; taken outdoors.

Bio/Historical Note: Image appeared in 5 Sept. 1997 issue of OCN.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Curt Joseph Wittlin was born in 1941 in Reinach, Argòvia, Switzerland. He studied romance philology in Basel with Germà Colon, and later in Paris, Florence and Barcelona. He earned his PhD in 1965 with a thesis about the Catalan translation of Brunetto Latini's Treasure by Guillem de Copons. In 1967 Dr. Wittlin became Professor of Romance Philology and Historical Linguistics at the University of Saskatchewan. He became a specialist in the edition of medieval translations in Europe of texts by Cicero, Saint Augustine and John of Wales, among others. Dr. Wittlin also worked on Ramon Llull and on the history of medieval Catalan libraries. The Catalan writer to which he devoted most of his life was Francesc Eiximenis. Dr. Wittlin published most of the modern editions of Francesc Eiximenis' works and wrote many studies and articles about Eiximenis. In 1997 he became a member of the Institute of Catalan Studies and from 1990-1993 he was president of the North American Catalan Society. In 2000 he received the Creu de Sant Jordi (Saint George cross), a high distinction given by the regional Catalan government. Dr. Wittlin died in 2019 in Tortosa, Baix Ebre, Spain.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Curt Wittlin (1941-2019) was a Swiss philologist and an expert of medieval Catalan language and literature. Wittlin studied romance philology in Basel with Germà Colon, and later in Paris, Florence and Barcelona. He got his PhD in 1965 with a thesis about the Catalan translation of Brunetto Latini's Treasure by Guillem de Copons. He became Professor of Romance Philology and Historical Linguistics at the University of Saskatchewan where he arrived in 1967. He became a specialist in the edition of medieval translations in Europe of texts by Cicero, Saint Augustine and John of Wales, among others. He also worked on Ramon Llull and on the history of medieval Catalan libraries. The Catalan writer to which he devoted most of his life was Francesc Eiximenis. Wittlin published most of the modern editions of Francesc Eiximenis' works and wrote many studies and articles about Eiximenis. In 1997 he became a member of the Institute of Catalan Studies and from 1990 to 1993 he was president of the North American Catalan Society. In 2000 he received the Creu de Sant Jordi (Saint George cross), a high distinction given by the regional Catalan government. Wittlin died in 2019.