Felix Salten Austrian writer Date of Birth: 06.09.1869 Country: Austria

Biography of Felix Salten

Felix Salten, an Austrian writer, was born in 1869 in Budapest, Hungary. His original name was Siegmund Salzmann, and his family moved to Vienna, Austria when he was just a few weeks old. The move was prompted by the fact that Austria offered Jews full citizenship at that time.

Early Life and Career
Salten started working at a young age, and by the time he was 16, he was already working as an insurance agent to support his family after his father unexpectedly went bankrupt. It was during this period that Salten began writing. He later joined the literary society "Young Vienna" and soon became a regular theater critic for several publications. In 1900, he published his first collection of stories under the pseudonym Felix Salten.

Literary Achievements
In 1901, Salten organized the literary cabaret "Jung-Wiener Theater Zum lieben Augustin," which, although short-lived, was the first establishment of its kind. Soon, his books began to be published annually, including plays, stories, novels, travel notes, essays, and anthologies. Salten also wrote for almost all major Viennese newspapers. Some of his notable works include "Herr Wenzel auf Rehberg und sein Knecht Kaspar Dinckel" (1907), "Olga Frohgemuth" (1910), "Der Wurstelprater" (1911), and "Das Burgtheater" (1922). However, his most significant success came with the publication of "Bambi. Eine Lebensgeschichte aus dem Walde" in 1923, which tells the touching and dramatic story of a deer named Bambi and his journey through life in the forest. The book explores themes of growth, nobility, and the challenges of living in an imperfect world where good does not always triumph over evil.

International Success and Legacy
In 1928, "Bambi" was translated into English, and it became a resounding success. The book became a bestseller, and the rights for its film adaptation were eventually purchased by Walt Disney Studios. The animated film was released in 1942 and achieved immense popularity, despite some differences from the original source material.

Later Years and Death
In 1927, Salten became the president of the Austrian P.E.N. Club, succeeding Arthur Schnitzler. However, in 1930, due to the rise of Nazism and the increasing discomfort for Jews in Austria, Salten was forced to leave the country. In 1936, his books were banned by Adolf Hitler personally. The writer settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where he spent the rest of his life.

Felix Salten passed away on October 8, 1945, at the age of 76. He was buried in the Friedhof Unterer Friesenberg cemetery. Salten was married to Ottilie Metzl, and they had two children, a son named Paul (born in 1903) and a daughter named Anna-Katharina (born in 1904).

Legacy
In 1939, Salten wrote a sequel to "Bambi" titled "Bambi's Children: The Story of a Forest Family" based on the original story. Several other books by Salten, including "Perri" and "The Hound of Florence," were also adapted into films. Additionally, Salten was believed to be the anonymous author of the erotic novel "Josephine Mutzenbacher" (1906), a fictional autobiography of a Viennese prostitute. Apart from his books, Salten also wrote several screenplays and librettos for operettas.