The Basket of Flowers
Writer of children's stories and educator, Christoph von Schmid was a pioneer in writing books for children which taught Christian values. His first work was a bible history for children (1801). Christoph von Schmid continued with his calling as a writer of children's books throughout his long life, one of his most noted stories being Die Ostereier (Easter Eggs, 1816) due to its popularity and also that he started signing himself as "author of Easter Eggs." He also authored the Christian children's classic, "A Basket of Flowers." The writings of Christoph von Schmid have been translated into 24 languages. His stories usually center around a disturbance to the happiness of good people which God's righteousness finally fixes, the goal of the writer being to awaken a practical piety in his youthful readers. Christoph von Schmid also wrote poems which are scattered here and there in his work. His autobiography, Erinnerungen aus meinem Leben, was published in 1853-1857. From 1816 to 1826 he was parish priest at Oberstadion in Würtemberg. In 1826, Christoph von Schmid was appointed canon of the Cathedral of Augsburg, where he died of cholera when he was eighty seven.