Werner Kaegi was a Swiss historian. He is best known for a single work, a biography of Jacob Burkhardt. This appeared in seven volumes, from 1947 to 1982.

He was recipient of the Gottfried-Keller-Preis

Gottfried-Keller-Preis

The Gottfried-Keller-Preis or Prix Gottfried Keller is one of the oldest literary awards of Switzerland.The prize was created by Martin Bodmer and is named after the Swiss author Gottfried Keller...

 and the Erasmus Prize

Erasmus Prize

The Erasmus Prize is an annual prize awarded by the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation, a Dutch non-profit organization, to individuals or institutions that have made notable contributions to European culture, society, or social science. The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation was founded on 23 June 1958 by...

.

He had for wife the catholic mystic and stigmatist Adrienne von Speyr

Adrienne von Speyr

Adrienne von Speyr was a Swiss medical doctor and Catholic mystic.- Biography :Born September 20, 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Adrienne von Speyr was a laywoman, wife, medical doctor, spiritual writer, and Catholic mystic...

 (1902-1967). Her spiritual director and friend, the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar

Hans Urs von Balthasar

Hans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church...

, kept a journal during many years about her life in which details regarding her relationship with Werner Kaegi can be found. This journal was later edited in 3 volumes under the name "Erde und himmel" ("Earth and heaven").