Although relatively small, Haller’s literary output was significant. This is particularly true of his “Versuch Schweizerischer Gedichte” (*Gedichte 1732) which opened a new horizon in German landscape poetry, love poetry, and didactic poetry. His poem “Die Alpen” (“The Alps”) contrasted the vigorous and pure natural and human environment of the Alps with effete urban civilisation and marked the advent of enthusiasm for mountains and the tourism linked with it. Other poems delved into fundamental religious, ethical, and metaphysical questions (“Über den Ursprung des Übels”, “Unvollkommenes Gedicht über die Ewigkeit”). Admired by Klopstock and Herder, they are precursors of Schiller’s lyric poetry.
In his later years Haller wrote three utopian novels in which he drew upon history to illustrate different basic models of government: enlightened absolutism in “Usong. Eine morgenländische Geschichte” (*Usong 1771); constitutional monarchy in “Alfred, König der Angelsachsen” (*Alfred 1773 XXX [212]); and the oligarchic-aristocratic republic in “Fabius und Cato” (*Fabius 1774).
As a representative of and spokesman for faith based on reason, Haller produced several works in which he defended the truth of biblical revelation, particularly in rebuttal to Voltaire (*Vorrede Formey 1751 XXX[246], *Offenbarung 1772 XXX[265], *Freygeister 1775–77). The posthumously published “Tagebuch religiöser Empfindungen” (*Tagebuch 1787) provides impressive insights into his self-tormenting efforts to be a “true Christian”.
Of interest in terms of literature and cultural history are the travel diaries he published during his student years (*Tagebuch Studienreise 1968 [27], *Tagebücher 1971 [24]). Haller also published several philosophical and literary treaties in his “Kleine Schriften” (*Kl. Schriften 1772 [7]).
Research literature
Overviews:Pross 2008, Siegrist 1967, Stevens 1984, Toellner 1971, Wiswall 1981.
Poetry and literature: Achermann 2008, Barner 2009, Guthke 1983, Helbling 1970, Ischer 1928, Kempf 1986, Mahlmann-Bauer 2008, Pfeifer 2008, Reber 1977, Schneider 2008, Stäuble 1953, Tonelli 1965, Zagajewski 1909.
Utopian novels: Frey 1928, Gelzer 2003, Gelzer 2008, Gelzer/Kapossy 2008, Lüthi 2003a, Naumann 1976, Salama 2006, Widmann 1894.
Religion und Theologie: Baggesen 1865, Kaufmann 2009, Lindt 1977, Peters 1937, Pott 2002a, Rémi 2008, Wiegrebe 2009.