Joseph Spillmann

Joseph Spillmann (b. at Zug, Switzerland, 22 April 1842; d. at Luxembourg, 23 February 1905) was a Swiss Jesuit children's author.

He attended the primary school and gymnasium in Zug, but bad health necessitated his leaving his studies and devoting himself to his father's business.

From Spillmann's "Beilagen für die Jugend" grew seventy portly volumes of the "Reisebilder", while twenty-one booklets, "Aus fernen Landen" owe their origin to the same source; those consisted of edifying illustrated stories for the young.

His comprehensive "Geschichte der Katholikenverfolgung in England von 1535-1681" began with articles in the "Stimmen aus Maria-Laach", was continued in the supplements to this periodical, and was completed in five large volumes.

Spillmann also wrote seven longer romances, the first (Die Wunderblume von Woxindon) appearing in 1893, and the last (Der schwarze Schuhmacher) ten years later; they are written in the styles of Walter Scott and Charles Dickens.