Struwwelpeter: Why this children's book classic never fades!

Struwwelpeter: Why this children's book classic never fades!

Frankfurter Altstadt, Deutschland - A literary phenomenon celebrates its 180th birthday this year: The Struwwelpeter , the children's book by Heinrich Hoffmann, is still a guide for child experiences and challenges. Originally intended as a Christmas present for his son, it has developed into a timeless classic, which is now available in numerous adaptations and in many languages. The stories that were once created in satirical intent are more relevant than ever. Hoffmann deals with topics such as ADHD, anorexia and other social challenges without these medical diagnoses being known in his time. This lifts the Museumschefin Beate Zekorn-von Bebenburg particularly emphasized that the stories can be "very well transferred to the present".

a legacy of the rebellion and humor

Im Struwwelpeter shows Hoffmann's vision of childlike freedom. The Struwwelpeter itself, a symbol of non-conformism, is regarded as the "icon of the rebellion". By representing conflicts that meet all children in the course of their lives, his work is not only understood as entertainment, but also as an educational guide. The range of his creativity becomes clear by the multitude of adaptations, which can be found in the Frankfurter Struwwelpeter-Museum are-including a GDR variant that promotes state-loyal behavior or current versions that address the importance of hygiene during corona pandemic.

The Struwwelpeter Museum in Frankfurt, which has been found in the new old town since 2019, attracts around 30,000 visitors every year. It concerns people with psychological impairments, which Hoffmann, who was also a pioneer of human psychiatry, would have liked. The fact that the Struwwelpeter itself is considered a "black pedagogy" is a controversial topic; The museum management also understands that it was Hoffmann's concern to preserve children from damage now and in the future.