On April 20th – an ominous date if you know your Austrian history – don’t miss your chance to meet the author of Der Struwwelpeter (1845), the oldest, bloodiest, and most controversial German children’s book of all times. Dr. Hoffmann and his attorney will face questions from superintendent Frau Schrecklich, the school board, and concerned parents in the audience, who want to keep German out of Kindergarten and ban this horrible book for good.
After two years of pandemic-related virtual content, German 2020 students happily return to the stage for the annual, QEP-sponsored theatrical production of “Der Struwwelpeter”.
Did you know that Mark Twain was not only fluent in German, but also provided one of the many English translations of Der Struwwelpeter? Did you know that The English Struwwelpeter was the first outstanding beneficiary of the first major convention on international copyright, concluded between Britain and Prussia in 1846? Did you know that there is a British Anti-Nazi propaganda version of the book, i.e. Hitlerstruwwelpeter, that Edward Scissorhands looks a lot like the kid on the cover, and that Rammstein wrote a song about one of the stories in the book? Well, now you know a fraction of what Germ2020 students have learned this semester.
“Critical Struwwelpeter Theory” is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you at the Backdoor Playhouse!
For questions contact:
jgruber@tntech.edu
(931) 372-3787