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50 years of the elephant: The magical friendship with the mouse!
The “Sendung mit der Maus” celebrates the elephant’s 50th birthday. Discover the background to friendship and development!
50 years of the elephant: The magical friendship with the mouse!
On January 5, 1975, the little blue elephant entered the stage of German children's television and is now celebrating his 50th birthday. The elephant, a loyal friend of the mouse, was created to provide a playmate for the now famous mouse, who has been experiencing his adventures on the “Sendung mit der Maus” since 1971. According to information from Small newspaper The relationship between the two characters is one of the best known on German television and they embody the role of siblings - the mouse plays the thinking, planning part, while the elephant goes through life playfully and unbiased.
A big friend in a small format
The development of the elephant, which was conceived as a small, blue playmate, is intended to take up the dimensions of friendship and cooperation. He helps the mouse, entertains his friends and makes them laugh by cooling with his trunk or blowing away the clouds for the pink bunny, like WDR explained. Since his first appearance, the elephant has completed 359 spots with the mouse. His charming naivety and openness make him a popular character whose status has steadily grown over the years. In 2007 he finally got his own show, “The Show with the Elephant,” aimed at younger children between the ages of three and six.
The invention of the elephant was initiated by Friedrich Streich in order to enrich children's television with an eye-catching character. Its special design should not only be visually different, but also motivate the audience to play with different perspectives and clichés. To mark the anniversary, WDR will broadcast a special episode celebrating the elephant. It's a tribute to the friendship that forms the basis of the show and a sign that it will continue to delight many children for years to come.