Pittiplatsch

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Schnatterinchen and Pittiplatsch toys

Pittiplatsch (short: Pitti) is a German fictional kobold character who was very famous in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), especially as puppet character in the children's television. He first appeared in 1962 in the televison series Meister Nadelöhr erzählt (master craftsman Nadelöhr( needle eye ) tells). He was created by Ingeborg Feustel, who also wrote the most stories featuring Pittiplatsch. The Pittiplatsch hand puppet is still played and voiced by Heinz Schröder.

Today, there are still shown many of the short puppet colour films created in the GDR in the Sandmännchen, but there are no new productions for TV, however new merchandising is yet produced. Since 1993 the puppeteer ensemble has live performances.

[edit] History

The first episode of the Meister Nadelöhr erzählt television series with Eckart Friedrichson as master tailor Nadelöhr, who lived in his tailor parlour in the Märchenland, was broadcasted on November 23, 1956. At the beginning with the (real) canaries Zwirnchen and Röllchen, but already in 1957 the puppet characters Schnatterinchen, a duck, and Bummi, a bear, belonged to the series. Pittiplatsch appeared five years later. While Schnatterinchen and Bummi were very dutiful and honest characters, Pittiplatsch was introduced as a more naughty character who makes also didoes. But some parents and pedagogues were disgusted about this, beacause they thought that children could only learn didoes from Pittiplatsch. So Pitti was removed after only two broadcasts. Because of a lot of protests of children, Pittiplatsch returned Christmas 1962, optical and verbally a bit changed. Later the show was renamed into Zu Besuch im Märchenland (Visiting in the Tales' Land). The last show with Meister Nadelöhr was in 1975. Klaus-Peter Pleßow as Fabian replaced him.

Stories with Pittplatsch were also shown in the Abendgruß (evening greeting) of the Sandmännchen. These stories were only some minutes long. The later ones after Meister Nadelöhr's resignation showed mostly Pittiplatsch online with the duck Schnatterinchen and the dog Moppi, who first appeared on April 3, 1976. Many of the short colour films are still shown on TV, but not the black and white films. Totally, there are rounded 2000 Abendgruß broadcasts with Pittiplatsch.

There were also produced longer Pittiplatsch films called Pittiplatsch reist ins Koboldland (Pittiplatsch travels into the Kobold Land), where Pitti experiences adventures with his brothers and sisters in the Koboldland.

After dismissal of broadcasting of the DFF there were no new productions for television. The puppeteers Heinz Schröder, Bärbel Möllendorf and the musician Henry Kaufmann have live performances with the original puppet characters, nearly only in the new states of Germany.

[edit] Character

The makers wanted a new character who doesn't do only good things and can mistakes. Pittiplatsch has these attributes, unlike his best girlfriend Schnatterinchen and other early characters in the children's television of the GDR. In his first criticised appearance Pittiplatsch took Schnatterinchen's toys and stole pudding.

Pittiplatsch became one of the central puppet characters for the children. He features a childlike, loveable, nosy and astute nature. Often his well meant, but never totally unselfish action miscarry and they end with the pledge "to be entirely dear" in the future. Children find in the figure own weaknesses, fears and mistakes.