As a teacher (secondary school), Merz has worked in adult education. He has won several prices, e.g. the famous „Hermann-Hesse-Literaturpreis“ in 1997, the „Gottfried Keller-Preis“ in 2004 and the „Werkpreis der schweizerischen Schillerstiftung“ in 2005.
He wrote a lot of narrations and stories, e.g. „Adams Kostüm“ or the short novel „Jakob schläft“. Merz has also made poems („Kurze Durchsage“) – his works are rather short. But the titles already show Merz’s special ability: He manages it, to place two or three banal words, one next to the other, and it starts “buzzing” amongst them.
Today, Merz lives in Unterkulm as a narrator and lyric poet.
Works
Mit gesammelter Blindheit. Gedichte. St.Gallen: Tschudy, 1967
