What is the Sandmaennchen? A little Man who Sent German Kids to Dream

When the Wall separating East Germany from West Germany fell, many of the icons produced by the East vanished. There is one BIG exception. The Sandmännchen. What is the Sandmaennchen? And how did he continue to thrive despite his East German origins? This little figure with a long goatee and pointed cap captured the hearts of German children with his sweet demeanor and fun adventures… and he captured the hearts of parents by sending kids to bed promptly at 7 pm.

What is the Sandmaennchen

What is the Sandmaennchen?

My American friends (especially the mothers) can hardly believe something like the Sandmännchen exists. Every evening, a sweet little man with a beard and cap comes on the television at 6:50, accompanied by a happy little song that sends kids to bed.  The format is simple. The Sandmaennchen himself is done with stop-action; he spends a few moments doing something fun or adventurous, like traveling in a spaceship or a magical car, or maybe he visits friends in other countries. The middle of the show is often hosted by one of his puppet friends or by someone telling a story. The end goes back to the Sandmaennchen in his adventure, and then he sends out an Abendsgruß with a song. Then it’s 7 pm, and children know it’s time to GO TO BED! (In these days of YouTube, Netflix, and round-the-clock programming, it hardly seems possible that one figure has this much power!).

But is he an elf? A gnome? Actually, the story of The Sandmännchen, or Sandman, comes from a Hans Christian Anderson story called Ole Lukøje. This mythical being sends children to sleep and grants them dreams if they’ve been good (bad children don’t get to dream).

Bringing the Sandmännchen to Television

The Sandmännchen television program goes back 60 years! Dr. Ilse Obrig came up with the idea for a children’s program and was developing the program for Berliner Rundfunk (in the Soviet zone) in 1950 when she defected to the West. The program was shelved for a few years until 1959, when word trickled to the East that Dr Obrig was working on a program called “Das Sandmannchen’s Gruß für Kinder” for Senderfries Berlin (in the West), and it was to be aired for the first time in December 1959. Not to be outdone, the powers in the GDR switched into high gear. They tasked puppeteer Gerhard Behrendt with bringing the show to life… and THREE WEEKS later, on November 22, 1959, at 6:50pm, Unser Sandmännchen made its debut. The western show made its first appearance on December 1, 1959.

who is the sandmaennchen

 

Photo taken in the DDR Museum in Berlin

Two Sandmännchen?

So, there were two Sandmännchen. The Western Sandmännchen, or Das Sandmännchen, looked a bit like a sailor with a beard that ran under his chin from ear to ear. Somehow, he looked more rugged or rough. Every evening, he would fly off on his cloud to dreamland.

The appeal of the Eastern Unser Sandmännchen was sweeter, more like an elf. He had big button eyes, a long goatee, and a peaked cap. At the end of each adventure, he goes home to his fairy tale homeland. In the first episode, he fell asleep in a snowbank, and the TV station was flooded with letters from worried children offering him a home! The program responded quickly!
who is the sandmannchen

My ancient copy of a Sandmännchen Story book… I couldn’t see the show in the US, so Opa sent me the book. Naturally, mine was the Western Version

Both shows had the same basic format and ran at the same time, but the Western Sandmaennchen never had the same appeal. Kids in the West even tuned in to see the Eastern Sandmaennchen instead.

Sandmännchen’s companions

Of course, the Sandmännchen wasn’t alone! Other characters and companions made frequent appearances on his program. Pittiplatsch, Schnatterinchen, Moppi, Plumps, and Kucken.

Das Sandmännchen episode-

East German and West German Sandmaennchen Storybooks

Unser Sandmännchen: Volker Lechtenbrink Erzählt Gute-Nacht-Geschichten (Folge 2)Unser Sandmännchen: Volker Lechtenbrink Erzählt Gute-Nacht-Geschichten (Folge 2)Unser Sandmännchen: Volker Lechtenbrink Erzählt Gute-Nacht-Geschichten (Folge 2)Sandmännchens GeschichtenbuchSandmännchens GeschichtenbuchSandmännchens Geschichtenbuch

Was the Program Political?

Despite being a feather in the cap of East German Broadcasting, Unser Sandmännchen was never really political. It was simply a nice program for children that encouraged imagination and let them see the world around them. Granted, when the Sandmännchen traveled, he only went to places East Germans could go. Frequently to the USSR to see his brothers and sisters or to space to see fellow Cosmonauts. He even traveled to Angola (There was some controversy when he drove around Africa in a Land Rover, a WESTERN car) and North Vietnam. (In fact, he traveled quite a bit, something most East Germans couldn’t really do). He also depicted life in the East with typical houses and activities that the children would recognize. Like cooling off with a beer.

The Sandmännchen goes to the moon! (I love the sound effects).

 

Of course, there were some issues. It is thought that Mathias Rust got his idea to land a plane in Red Square from an Unser Sandmaennchen episode. And an episode where Unser Sandmännchen flies in a hot air balloon was pulled from the air after an East German family escaped to the West using a balloon.

Unser Sandmännchen in Africa!

Have you seen this Clip from Goodbye Lenin?

If you haven’t seen the movie… do. You can get it here- Goodbye Lenin

Unser Sandmännchen is Still on Available

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, so much of what was iconic in East Germany got washed away and replaced with Western counterparts. Somehow, the Sandmaennchen survived. The last episode of the western Das Sandmaennchen was shot in 1991, and the show, and all of the episodes just faded away. On the other hand, repeats of Unser Sandmännchen is still being aired nightly, and a full length feature film Das Sandmännchen – Abenteuer im Traumland was released in 2010 …. it even came to the United States as The Sandman- And the Lost Sand of Dreams

 

The Sandman And The Lost Sand Of DreamsThe Sandman And The Lost Sand Of DreamsThe Sandman And The Lost Sand Of DreamsDas Sandmännchen - Abenteuer im TraumlandDas Sandmännchen – Abenteuer im TraumlandDas Sandmännchen - Abenteuer im Traumland

You can Buy Sandmännchen Videos in German
Be aware! They are on GERMAN DVD Format… you must have the right DVD player for them to work.

Unser Sandmännchen: Gute-Nacht-BoxUnser Sandmännchen: Gute-Nacht-BoxUnser Sandmännchen: Gute-Nacht-Box

 

And for kids around the world who still want to tune in to hear the Sandmaennchen say  goodnight, there is a free APP!! It’s updated daily at 6pm, and is a nice way to get kids ready for bedtime!

Our SandmanOur SandmanOur Sandman

You can go Online to the Sandmännchen Website
Sandmänchen has his own site with stories, crafts and activities for children
Click HERE–> Sandmännchen

You can Visit the Sandmaennchen Exhibit at the Filmpark in Babelsberg
what is the sandmaennchen

Filmpark Babelsberg–>Sandmaennchen Exhibit

And you can still hear his goodnight song…..

The first part is sung by children and says;

“Sandmann, lieber Sandmann, es ist noch nicht so weit!
Wir sehen erst den Abendgruß, ehe jedes Kind ins Bettchen muß,
du hast gewiß noch Zeit.”

(Sandman, dear Sandman, it’s not yet time!
First we’ll watch the evening’s greeting before every child must go to bed.
Surely, you have time for that.)

And then after the story, the Sandmännchen sends everyone to be by singing;

“Kinder, liebe Kinder, es hat mir Spaß gemacht.
Nun schnell ins Bett und schlaft recht schön.
Dann will auch ich zur Ruhe gehn. Ich wünsch euch gute Nacht.”

(Children, dear children, that was fun.
Now, quick, to bed and sleep tight.
Then I will also go and rest. I wish you a good night.)

I just came across this clip from Goodnight Lenin….

Unser Sandmännchen is as Popular as EVER

Children still watch the Sandmännchen on Television nightly, and now there are episodes on You Tube. Naturally, Sandmaennchen merchandise is very collectible. You can buy your own Sandmaennchen doll or books.

Die schönsten GeschichtenDie schönsten GeschichtenDie schönsten GeschichtenUnser Sandmännchen: Meine ersten LiederUnser Sandmännchen: Meine ersten LiederUnser Sandmännchen: Meine ersten LiederUnser Sandmännchen Emaille-Becher Traumsandbringer: Emaille-Becher SandmannUnser Sandmännchen Emaille-Becher Traumsandbringer: Emaille-Becher SandmannUnser Sandmännchen Emaille-Becher Traumsandbringer: Emaille-Becher Sandmann

You can order a Sandmännchen Doll from Germany

Götz 0070101 Sandmann Doll in Red with Sleeping Sand Bag - 37 cm Soft Body Doll Suitable for Children from 18 MonthsGötz 0070101 Sandmann Doll in Red with Sleeping Sand Bag – 37 cm Soft Body Doll Suitable for Children from 18 MonthsAMAZON.DEGötz 70003 - Original Sandman, 39 cmGötz 70003 – Original Sandman, 39 cmAMAZON.DE

 

Vintage SandmännchenVintage SandmännchenVintage Sandmännchen1967 Postcard1967 Postcard1967 Postcard

 

Unser Sandmännchen MagnetbuchUnser Sandmännchen MagnetbuchUnser Sandmännchen Magnetbuch

 

Order a Sandmännchen from Germany

Götz 70003 - Original Sandmann, 39 cmGötz 70003 – Original Sandmann, 39 cmGötz 70003 - Original Sandmann, 39 cmHeunec 664401 - Sandmann mit MusikzugwerkHeunec 664401 – Sandmann mit MusikzugwerkHeunec 664401 - Sandmann mit Musikzugwerk

Gute Nacht!!

sandmaennchenn
 

 

One thought on “What is the Sandmaennchen? A little Man who Sent German Kids to Dream

  1. OMG!!! For years I’ve been trying to find information on der Sandmann for a while now and here it is! My Opa bought me one in East Germany around 1960. He’s in a blue costume which is in pretty good condition and I have the little booklet that came with him too. I also picked one up in red at an antique shop in Bisbee, Arizona, USA. Bisbee is near a military base so I’m assuming someone brought it back from Germany for their child. I love this guy! Thank you so much for posting the article!

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