Heinrich Hoffmann publishes Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder, introducing Struwwelpeter
- When
- 1845–1846
- Where
- Frankfurt am Main
- Episodes
- 4
Heinrich Hoffmann, a Frankfurt psychiatrist, created illustrated children's verses as a Christmas gift for his son. A publisher friend persuaded him to print these verses in 1845, resulting in the book Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder. This work, later known as Struwwelpeter, is known for introducing the Tailor (or Scissorman) to Western literature and gained popularity, though Hoffmann's full authorship was not publicly revealed until 1846.
Episodes
- First Public Appearance
The book first appeared outside Hoffmann's family circle at a meeting of the Frankfurt literary club Tutti Frutti Society in January 1845.
- Publication in Frankfurt Marketplace
The book was published in the Frankfurt marketplace in October 1845 under the title Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder.
- Public Revelation of Authorship
Hoffmann's authorship was fully revealed to the public in an advertisement in December 1846, though his name appeared in the fifth edition in 1847.
- Creation as a Christmas Present
Hoffmann created illustrated children's verses as a Christmas present for his son, reacting to a perceived lack of good children's books.
Background and detail
Background. Heinrich Hoffmann was a German psychiatrist born in Frankfurt am Main who also wrote some short works. He wrote the book that would later be titled Struwwelpeter in reaction to what he perceived as a lack of good books for children, initially producing it as a Christmas present for his son before it was published.
Publication. A publisher friend persuaded Hoffmann to have his collection of illustrated children's verses printed in 1845. The book first appeared in the Frankfurt marketplace in October 1845 under the title Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder. It contained 15 beautifully coloured panels for children aged 3–6 years.
People involved
- Heinrich Hoffmann · Author and Illustrator
Sources
- Heinrich Hoffmann (author) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-19
- Struwwelpeter Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.