German
physician and writer who is best known for his work DER STRUWWELPETER (1845),
Shockhead Peter or Slovenly Peter, the story of a boy, who had bad manners.
Hoffmann's didactic tales were written against all today's politically 'correct'
principles - they were meant to scare children when they fail to follow
the instructions of their elders. Der Struwwelpeter has been translated
into some 30 languages and it has deeply influenced children's literature.
Maurice Sendak, one of the most famous children's books illustrators, have
stated about its drawings: "Graphically it is one of the most beautiful
books in the world." "Die Freud' ist blankes Silbergeld Geprägt zum Laufe
durch die Welt".
Hoffmann was born in Frankfurt am Main as the son Philipp Jacob Hoffmann,
an architect, and Marianne Caroline (Lausberg) Hoffmann. He studied medicine
at the universities of Heidelberg, Halle and also in Paris. After graduating
in 1833, he worked as a general practitioner in his birth town. In 1840
Hoffmann married Therese Donner. From 1851 to 1888 he was the director of
the state mental hospital in Frankfurt am Main. During these 37 year he
improved in the hospital the psychiatric treatment of the patients, and
started raising fund for a new hospital. He became a member of Freemasons
but resigned because of their anti-Jewish opinions. At the age of 33 Hoffmann
published his first book, GEDICHTE. His next work, DIE MONDZÜGLER, was a
play that mocked Hegel's philosophy. The story of Slovenly Peter was born
in 1844, when Hoffmann wanted to buy a book for his son Carl as a Christmas
gift, but did not find anything suitable. (Carl Hoffmann died at age 27
in Peru of yellow fever.) His first version of the story included five poems
with a picture of Slovenly Peter, who did not want to comb his hair and
cut his nails. He had used the character before when dealing with his small
patients. When Hoffmann's friends and patients, reading the book in the
waiting room, encouraged him to publish the work, it appeared in 1845 under
the title Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder mit 15 schön kolorirten
Tafeln für Kinder von 3-6 Jahren. The name Struwwelpeter was no original
part of the title, but added for the third German edition. It was not until
the fifth edition, when the book was printed under Hoffmanns own name. Hoffmann
illustrated himself the first edition, under the influence of an Russian
children's book, Stepka-Rastrepka, which appeared in 1849. Many considered
Hoffmann's pictures better. The stories in Der Struwwelpeter are educational
in the best traditions of macabre humour: a girl who plays with matches
burn into ashes, thumbs are cut away with big scissors for sucking one's
thums, small faults are punished by death. Hoffmann also published poetry,
humor, and satir, several other children's books and works on medicine and
psychiatry. BESUCH BEI FRAU SONNE was drawn in 1871-72 but the book did
not appear until 1924. Hoffmann's KÖNIG NUSSKNACKER UND DER ARME REINHOLD
(1851) has been very popular in Germany; it was the author's favorite book.
Hoffmann died on September 20, 1894. |