Name: Sandmännchen
Genre: Animation
Released: 1959-12-01
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Sabine Sinjen, Wolfgang Jansen

Perfectly balanced for young, very young and old

What a nice development and smart approach for all the kids. Developed over time:

The original idea came from 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, Sandmännchen's Greeting to Children, on 1 December 1959, and other episodes were soon made.

However, on 22 November 1959, only three weeks after the production had started, 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.

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Classic German good night stories on TV. Originally invented in the east, it was soon also produced in the West and is still shown today at 6:50pm. The Sandman is a small man with a white beard that comes at night and spreads sand onto the eyes of the sleeping children. This is the beginning sequence while there is singing and the typical music. This is followed by a cartoon which is different from episode to episode, often featuring children or animals. After 10 minutes it ends with an end sequence similar to the one at the beginning, but this time they sing: "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."

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Sandmännchen

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