Sandmännchen


Unser Sandmännchen, Das Sandmännchen, Abendgruß, Sandmann, Sandmännchen is a German children's bedtime television programme using stop motion animation. The puppet was based on the Ole Lukøje character by Hans Christian Andersen.
Two versions of Sandmännchen were created: one in East Germany, and one in West Germany.

Background

The original idea came from of West Berlin TV and radio station Sender Freies Berlin, who with the help of author Johanna Schüppel, developed a working version in 1958. The Little Sandman himself first appeared on screen in West Berlin in Sandmännchens Gruß für Kinder on 1 December 1959, and other episodes were soon made.
However, on 22 November 1959, East German television Deutscher Fernsehfunk began broadcasting its own Unser Sandmännchen, complete with its own "good night, children" character, also called Sandmännchen.
Created by the puppetmaster and director Gerhard Behrendt, the East German show represented everyday life, travel, and fantastic adventures. The character often showcased socialist technological achievements, such as the use of awe-inspiring vehicles like futuristic cars and flying devices. It was very popular with GDR citizens to the point that after the wall fell, former citizens lamented the appropriation of the beloved cartoon by corporate West German television.
The production of the West German version of Sandmännchen ceased in 1991, following the unification of Germany. The East German version was ultimately more popular, and repeats of episodes are still broadcast today. A full-length feature film, Das Sandmännchen - Abenteuer im Traumland, was released in 2010.

Theme tune

Wolfgang Richter composed the theme to the East German programme in just three hours one evening. Wolfgang Krumbach wrote the text.
Opening verse :
Which literally translates as:
Closing verse :
Again, this translates as:
The score and overall design of the show was remarkably elaborate for a children's television production. The Sandman often visited other countries, and this fact was frequently emphasised by the use of traditional instrumentation and harmony added to the score.

International broadcasts

The East German show was shown in many countries, including western countries like Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. He was named "Jon Blund" in Sweden and Norway, "Nukkumatti" in Finland.
The theme song in Norway went as follows:
In English this means:
The theme song in Finland was:
In English this means:

Supporting characters

The Sandmännchen stories contained a number of characters who remain popular today:
Even after German unification merged the former German Democratic Republic into the Federal Republic of Germany, the Sandmännchen has retained a following, and it continues to be shown every night on German television. Periodic references have been made to it in film and literature.