Meister Eder und Sein Pumuckl

[India Ink]

I'm currently fascinated by a German television program from the 1980s called "Meister Eder und Sein Pumuckl" based on a series of illustrated children's books from the 1960s.

A German speaking friend of mine recently turned me onto this and I have been watching all the episodes on youtube. Pumuckl is a tiny impish creature who appears to Meister Eder--an elderly craftsman. The TV show was live action, but Pumuckl is animated.

I love the acting from both principles and all the side characters who enter the show. My ability to understand German is limited, but the spirit of the show needs no translation.

It reminds me of the affection I had as a kid for so many comics, cartoons, and live action shows--and what I continue to look for in stories to this day.

What strikes me is all the effort that the producers put into this show. Each episode is a gem of storytelling.

 The voice acting for Pumuckl, by Hans Clarin, reminds me in some ways of the voice acting for Popeye, by Jack Mercer. By which I mean there are a lot of little interjections and asides that the voice actors drop in, which make the characters come to life.

[India Ink]

Pumuckl, as a kobald, is desended from the Klabautermann--water sprites that aided sailors in olden times. For some reason, Pumuckl has ended up in Bavaria where there are no sailing ships, but he still loves everything to do with sailing.

However in an early episode of Meister Eder und Sein Pumuckl, the little kobald nearly drowns in the bathtub when he attempts a sailing. After this, Meister Eder builds Pumuckl a land ship--a model ship that moves on a swing. In the following episodes, Pumuckl is often seen merrily going forward and back inside his little ship.

[India Ink]

And of course the little kobald his own bed in Meister Eder's workshop.

[Last Son]

Yes, I liked this series as a child in the early eighties. I was quite saddened when Hans Clarin died; for I had become a fan of him, not because of his "Pumuckl" and "Hui Buh" roles, but because of his role in the TV serial "Oliver Maas".

[India Ink]

Where did you see this series as a child, if I may ask?

I've been watching the episodes over and over again, in my effort to learn German, and just because I love this show so much. I'm taking it slow, because I don't want to go through all the episodes too fast and miss the pleasure of being with these characters.

I'm even putting together my own Wörterbuch/scrap book as I go along.

I've found this page is a great resource (unfortunately, for those who don't have any German, only the international pages is in English)--
http://www.pumucklhomepage.de/int.html

[Last Son]

Where did you see this series as a child, if I may ask?

I've been watching the episodes over and over again, in my effort to learn German, and just because I love this show so much. I'm taking it slow, because I don't want to go through all the episodes too fast and miss the pleasure of being with these characters.

I'm even putting together my own Wörterbuch/scrap book as I go along.

I've found this page is a great resource (unfortunately, for those who don't have any German, only the international pages is in English)--
http://www.pumucklhomepage.de/int.html

I saw them in Germany, where I live.

But if I may give you an advice: Pumuckl is not so good for learning German, because it use dialect. Use old comic books: they use GOOD German.

I suggest the old seventies/eighties DC translations from the Ehapa Verlag. They are: Superman/Batman (translated alternating issues of various Superman, Batman, Legion and World's Finest books); Superboy (Superboy & The LSH); Wundergirl (Wonder Woman); Roter Blitz (The Flash); Gerechtigkeitsliga (JLA); Superfreunde (Super Friends); Grüne Leuchte (Green Lantern); Junge Giganten (Teen Titans/New Teen Titans).

[India Ink]

Thanks for the info.

I was in Germany and Austria last year and I did look at some comics, but decided in the end they were too expensive and didn't really interest me enough. I have some old comics in French, that I've had for years, but other than looking at a few panels from time to time, I never really have used them to improve my French. I guess, because I already know these stories in English, and I'm not so curious.

It's too bad I didn't know about Pumuckl last year (I was even in Munich!), because I probably would have bought up a lot of books, videos, and recordings. I expect I will return in a year or so--so maybe then I can find some of this stuff.

It was only much later, after I  had returned to Canada, that an Austrian friend mentioned Pumuckl to me (assuming I should already know about the character). Once I started watching the youtubes I was hooked.

I don't find the dialect too much of a problem. The bayerisch dialect has similar words in it as oesterreichisch. And I'm interested in learning colloquial language as much as formal language. Also I don't find the accents in the TV show to be all that thick (much less thick than Quebecois accents). And because I'm so interested in the stories, I don't mind watching the same thing over and over again, which is better for learning.