Nicholas so they can find out what it really means to be black. This line from the Wikipedia article on this book cracks me up: Hoffmann wrote Struwwelpeter in reaction to the lack of good children's books. Intending to buy a picture book as a Christmas present for his three-year-old son, Hoffmann instead wrote and illustrated his own book.
Okay, I thought this was hilarious as a child, but I'm not sure sharing it with a 3 year old is the way to go. But there it says, right on the title page: But maybe if you've got a rowdy 5 or 6 year old Anyway, this poetry book is a classic, in its own weird and gruesome way. And I read it many, many times as a child, and I turned out fine! Here's a link to the original German version, free on Project Gutenberg, and here's another link to an English translation that's pretty good, if rather loose. View all 72 comments.
I read these classic morality tales enough times as a kid that I knew large chunks by heart. But, let's face it, back then they were seriously out of date, and now they're so archaic that they aren't amusing even as kitsch.
No wonder most children today haven't heard of them. So why doesn't someone produce an updated edition? I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult. Here are some suggestions: And if anyone is inspired to actually go and do it, please just mention my name somewhere in the introduction I hope that some poetically gifted person will take note of Ms.
O'Guinn's responsible and timely suggestion. View all 31 comments. This is some freaky shit. View all 29 comments. I read this innumerable times in English translation as a child, and still know a lot of it by heart OMG, it is the most hysterically funny thing I have seen in at least a month. My German is very, very poor, and even so I found it impossible not to laugh on almost every page. Here's a sample, courtesy of the Gutenberg version.
If you also know the English Struwwelpeter, just try reading it aloud while looking at the pictur I read this innumerable times in English translation as a child, and still know a lot of it by heart If you also know the English Struwwelpeter, just try reading it aloud while looking at the pictures, and you'll see what I mean. The contrast between the happy, bouncy rhymes and the gruesome story of Paulinchen, who's too fond of playing with matches Die gar traurige Geschichte mit dem Feuerzeug Paulinchen war allein zu Haus, die Eltern waren beide aus.
Sie drohen mit den Pfoten: Paulinchen aber freut sich sehr und sprang im Zimmer hin und her. Doch Minz und Maunz, die Katzen, erheben ihre Tatzen. Es brennt die Hand, es brennt das Haar, es brennt das ganze Kind sogar. In Feuer steht das ganze Kind! Und Minz und Maunz, die kleinen, die sitzen da und weinen: View all 33 comments. Rating this translation of the classic German picture book is difficult.
Yes, Heinrich Hoffmann's Der Struwwelpeter was and still is considered a classic of German children's literature, but nevertheless I still do not really believe that the stories contained therein are at all suitable for some children, especially those children who have very vivid and active imaginations. My grandmother repeatedly read me the German version when I was a child, and some of the stories actually gave me nightma Rating this translation of the classic German picture book is difficult. My grandmother repeatedly read me the German version when I was a child, and some of the stories actually gave me nightmares.
For example, I was absolutely positive that the tailor would come with his horrible scissors and cut off my brother's thumbs because he sucked his thumbs at the time , and the terrible story of the little girl burned to death because she played with matches frightened me so much that I did not even attempt to light a match until I was about 18 years old.
In retropsect though, I am actually convinced that it was NOT the text, the narrative of Der Sruwwelpeter , but the author's bold and very graphic accompanying illustrations that gave me the nightmares, that frightened me as being read Grimms' fairy tales from a standard unillustrated book produced no such reactions, just a lasting appreciation of the tales. Now Heinrich Hoffmann's stories and pictures are most definitely entertaining, engaging to a point and often very much thought-provoking , and Der Sruwwelpeter is a worthwhile and interesting example of 19th century German children's literature and pedagogy especially since some critics are now convinced that Hoffmann actually intended Der Struwwelpeter not only as a pedagogical tool for children and child rearing but as a humorous parody of similar such books that in the middle of the 19th cenuty proliferated the German market.
However all the above having been said and in my opinion, it is not a book that should necessarily be read to very young children. Older children might well find a discussion of the different pedagogical methods and whether Der Struwwelpeter might in fact be parodistic intriguing, but der Struwwelpeter either in the original German or translation should really never simply be read to or with a young child without first making sure that the latter will not be needlessly frightened by the stories and pictures and judging from my own childhood reaction, resulting nightmares are a distinct and real possibilty.
The book is a classic, the book deserves to be ranked as a classic, but with Der Struwwelpeter , and especially if actually considering it for young children, "reader beware" is in my opinion most definitely a very necessary caveat. View all 18 comments. According to recent research there was an additional story meant for publication, but was somehow missing from the final book. So, in addition to the stories of the Shock-headed Peter, Cruel Frederick, Fidgety Philip, and Johnny Head-in-Air we can expect to read the following story in future editions of the Struwwelpeter: The trut According to recent research there was an additional story meant for publication, but was somehow missing from the final book.
His wordbook he liked to deface and blacked out honesty and grace.
He lost the ballot. That was sweet when he cried out Rip-Off! And kept on crying through the night his face turned red then blue then white. When finally his heart gave out he hit the floor flat on his snout. He kept there lying stiff and still but no one cared of him until a pig appeared and snacked him quick and only left behind his wig. A classic German children's book, but one that, in my opinion, is or rather can be too violent and also at times too strictly pedagogical for children, or rather, some children.
Verbrannte Verse
I was actually frightened by a number of the tales when I was a child, and while I have much more of an appreciation for and of Der Struwwelpeter as an adult, it is my firm belief that many of the recounted anecdotes as well as the illustrations, and in many ways, these even more so can be rather majorly creepy for ima A classic German children's book, but one that, in my opinion, is or rather can be too violent and also at times too strictly pedagogical for children, or rather, some children. I certainly would not simply read this book aloud to younger children, unless I was absolutely positive and certain they would not be too scared by either the stories or the bold, but also often rather strangely uncanny accompaying pictures I still sometimes have dreams about the tailor with his large scissors, cutting off the digits of children who suck their thumbs.
And while some authorities on German children's literature now make the rather intriguing claim that Heinrich Hoffmann actually meant Der Struwwelpeter to be somewhat of a parody, it does not change the fact that both text and even more so the illustrations can, in my opinion, be a source of and for fear in sensitive children. I do have to admit though that there is one short snippet in this collection that even as a small child I found and still now consider absolutely hilarious, namely the episode where the bigoted insensitive bullying boys are punished by Saint Nicholas for having relentlessy taunted an African man by being dumped into a huge vat of ink and the ink is permanent and does NOT come off.
I laughed like anything and with massive Schadenfreude whenever my grandmother read this particular story to me.
- ?
- "Tatort" Verbrannt (TV Episode ) - IMDb;
- !
- .
- ;
- Green Means Go: High Intensity Interval Training with Traffic Lights.
- Lydia - Reife Frau und junge Burschen (German Edition)!
And while in retrospect, I think she was kind of shocked at my reaction, I thought and still comtinue to think that this was a more than deserved punishment for the boys' bigotry and nastiness. View all 9 comments. View all 8 comments. Some kids might be a little traumatized with this book, but I dare say most would love it. All the things threatened to happen when children misbehave actually happen.
It's a dark book but amusing in its own way. View all 17 comments. I had read a number of reviews about this book, and have read the Hitler propaganda version Struwwelhitler: My edition isn't that old a printing of a publication but it maintains the classic artwork, and without doubt has a dated feel to the content - kitsch really. Kitsch it might be, but these morality tales are still funny, and the brightly coloured pictures are great.
My daughter is st I had read a number of reviews about this book, and have read the Hitler propaganda version Struwwelhitler: My daughter is still a little young, and I have been told that she isn't allowed to be shown it yet? My favourite in this short book is The story if Little Suck-a-Thumb who is told if he won't stop sucking his thumb the great tall tailor will come with his great sharp scissors and cut them off.
As you can predict this is exactly what happens! A close second is the girl who sets herself on fire while paying with matches, with her cats watching on. In NZ we have quite graphic and emotionally edgy television advertisements about speeding and drinking and driving.
Der Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffmann
I guess they are the modern version of the Struwwelpeter stories. Reportedly the advertisements do work, and I suspect that children would take some notice of these stories too. This book is wonderful in a gruesome sort of way and the illustrations are the best! My favorite was the tale of the little girl who played with matches, even though her good cats, Minz und Maunz, tried to make her behave. The moral of the story is you should always listen to your cats. The story of the boy who never looked where he was going was edifying. These days he would be looking at a smart phone, not the sky, but his terrible end would be the same!
Thank you, Tadiana for intro This book is wonderful in a gruesome sort of way and the illustrations are the best! Thank you, Tadiana for introducing me to this gem. I read this book as a child. While I loved the stories of bad children getting their due I had three brothers who were always up to no good.
Post navigation
I think I wished some serious consequences would come their way , I mostly remember poring over the wonderful illustrations. I particularly liked the portrayal of animals- loved the rabbit wearing spectacles and toting a gun. I had forgotten all about this until recently reading Petra's great review. Mar 16, Steffi rated it it was amazing. Einfach ein Klassiker mit liebevollen Bildern. Zeitlos, wenn man so will. This collection of German folk tales intended to "instruct good little folks" has to be seen to be believed.
Nightmarish, ghoulish, absolutely twisted The Google preview link above underneath the book cover image offers a great look inside, because this grisly edition is REALLY hard to come by now. View all 4 comments. The tales told here remind me of Mother Goose type of little rhymes, used to teach children to behave or who knows what awful fate they may meet. Some of these have mild punishments for misbehaving, while others are down right horrific. It is likely that these short verses worked well at keeping children out of too much trouble when they were written in , while children may not have truly believed the outcomes they probably didn't want to step out of line either.
Children today, overall, are The tales told here remind me of Mother Goose type of little rhymes, used to teach children to behave or who knows what awful fate they may meet. Children today, overall, are so desensitized and at early ages that most probably wouldn't have nightmares after hearing these, especially if read in that sing songy way one reads rhymes.
That being said, if you have a sensitive child, you may want to skip a few of these, I know at a young age my daughter would have not enjoyed a few of these, and honestly even now as a teen she would probably say, really, why, she prefers happy things, well most of us do. I would give this edition an additional star because it would be a wonderful resource for someone that is learning, our wanting to brush up on, their German or Latin. Each rhyme is presented in all the languages, the third being English. Originally written in German they have become a favorite to be translated into Latin because the easily transform into the medieval poetry pattern.
This edition also includes a section at the end where the works have been modernized a bit and presented in English only. These modernizations kept with the original, but mostly looked at changing a few words here and there to use terminology that would make more sense to today's children. Of course, as with any good children's book, colorful pictures can be found accompanying the tales as well. I also placed a hold on Struwwelpeter: It is ready for me to pick up, so should be able to post review on it in a few days as well.
I only read it as an adult, and the gruesome stories, loved by my mother's generation were loved by my kids, too. And then I saw a brilliant theatre production in London. This book, written by a fellow GP is still fun. If you are a good little child and mind your manners you might avoid the perils in this book.
Had been trying to get it for years and now I finally have! There's lots of reviews of people saying it's horrifying and cruel and with zero psychological value, and I couldn't disagree more! First of all, the stories ain't all that terrible and shouldn't be taken so literally. The author wasn't killing real kids, was he? And there's a lesson behind almost every story.
For example, take the one about the girl playing with matches and getting burn. Isn't that a true thing? Doesn' Loved this book. Spazieren in Berlin Franz Hessel.
- Top Authors?
- Bestselling Series!
- .
- Der Struwwelpeter;
- Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs Mysteries Series Book 10).
- Chosen!
- .
- .
- Verbrannte Verse : Kamila Shamsie : ;
- Frances Elizabeth Willis: Up the Foreign Service Ladder to the Summit -- Despite the Limitations of Her Sex!
- The Travel Agent (a short story).
- Anything You Want (Mills & Boon Spice Briefs).
- Principles and Practices of Plant Genomics, Volume 3: Advanced Genomics.
Motel Life Willy Vlautin. Als Vaters Bart noch rot war Wolfdietrich Schnurre. Die Wohlgesinnten Jonathan Littell. Lean on Pete Willy Vlautin. Die Planeten Dava Sobel. Das Einmaleins der Skepsis Gerd Gigerenzer. Eines Menschen Herz William Boyd. Einfache Gewitter William Boyd. Sarahs Schlussel Tatiana De Rosnay.
See a Problem?
Luke und Jon Robert Williams. Frau Sartorius Elke Schmitter. Deutschlandreise im Strafraum Peter Esterhazy. Der Sternengarten Katrin Burseg. About Kamila Shamsie Kamila Shamsie, geb. Anette Grube studierte Amerikanistik und Politik.