Struwwelpeter: Fearful Stories and Vile Pictures to Instruct Good Little Folks

by Heinrich Hoffmann, Sarita Vendetta (Illustrator), Jack D. Zipes (Introduction)

A new edition for adults of the classic children's stories also includes a World War II-era parody entitled Struwwelhitler.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, German Literature, Poetry, Childrens, Short Stories, Horror

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1845

About the author

Note: There is more than one Heinrich Hoffman.

Heinrich Hoffmann was a German psychiatrist, who also wrote some short works including Der Struwwelpeter (German for either "slovenly Peter" or "shock-haired Peter"), an illustrated book portraying children misbehaving.

He wrote under the following names:

- Polykarpus Gastfenger (The given name is the German version of that of a Christian martyr; the surname sounds like "Gastfänger", which could be a common noun for "guest-catcher".)
- Heulalius von Heulenburg
- Heinrich Hoffmann
- Heinrich Hoffmann-Donner (The second half of the compound surname would mean "thunder" as a common noun, or a name for the Germanic thunder-god Thor.)
- Heinrich Kinderlieb (The surname means roughly "love of children")
- Reimerich Kinderlieb
- Peter Struwwel (This name reverses the order of the components of "Struwwelpeter".)
- Zwiebel (As a common noun, this would mean "onion")

In Frankfurt/Germany there is a Heinrich-Hoffmann-Museum Frankfurt.

Hoffmann studied medicine in Heidelberg. From 1851, he was director of the municipal psychiatry in Frankfurt.

He is the subject of the historical novel, 98 Reasons for Being.

Reviews

[Seizure Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be sub-titled: "Scaring the Crap out of Children & Adults since 1845" or "How to Traumatize Your Children without Actually Beating Them."

Complete with scary-ass illustrations.

Hold me.

[Alexandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ein pädagogisches Verbrechen und ein Alptraum für jedes Kind. Erziehung basierend auf Angst und Schrecken, ungeeignet für Kinder - ja das war die Pädagogik der 70er Jahre, in der auch die G'sunde Watschn noch propagiert wurde, mit der viel zuviele Kinder ins Koma geprügelt wurden.

Meine Geschichte war jene mit dem Suppenkaspar und mit Hans Kuck in die Luft. Ein Graus! 😡😡

Auf den Struwelhitler in dieser Version wäre ich aber gespannt.

[Trudi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of German folk tales intended to "instruct good little folks" has to be seen to be believed. Nightmarish, ghoulish, absolutely twisted ... it's a sheer, shocking delight! The Google preview link above underneath the book cover image offers a great look inside, because this grisly edition is REALLY hard to come by now.

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of Struwwelpeter as a young girl and I loved it. This is despite the fact that it deals with some rather horrible topics and highlights the plight of children who misbehave. I found this book horribly fascinating and read it over and over until it fell to pieces.

I saw this book was available on Amazon a few years ago and I bought it for my own boys. I fell in love with it all over again and I am still fascinated by Scissorman, who cuts off the thumb of Little Tommy Suck-a-thumb and Harriet who likes to play with matches.

I would not recommend this book for sensitive children as some of the illustrations and content could be rather disturbing but I have to say that I just love this book.

[Prashant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first english version of this book came around 1848. The stories are as mentioned in the title "fearful" and there are no efforts put to make the illustrations appropriate/less fearful for children.

The little stuff for little kids being covered here conveys relevant message but maybe in too strong a way. It seems to be more suited for the grown-up kids like me who chew their nails, evade shaving/haircuts and still play Hanging Garden with the chair.

But the best thing about being a grown-up is, you have already learned that there are a million ways to get killed, so why sweat it!

[Bettina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can I just say that this book horrified me when I was a child. NOT psychologically valuable in any way. Fingers getting cut off for biting your nails? Burning to death for playing with matches (and the crying cat next to it)? Starving to death for not eating soup? Hanging all of the chickens as a "trick", littering the teacher's bed with bugs which would get smashed, and finally being ground into flour as a punishment? Don't get me started on the illustrations (the cut-off fingers, etc.), which still make me shudder. Oh, the methods of our grandparents...

[aljouharah · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE HORROR !
حسناً هذه أول مره أقرأ الكتاب أو أتعرف على الكاتب حتى.
أما لماذا قرأت كتيب قصص الأطفال الشعرية القديم هذا؟
ببساطة مجرد فضول. كُنت أقرأ كتاباً عن كيفية تأليف قصص مصوره للأطفال، ومن ضمن الصفحة ذُكر هينريك هوفمان كأحد الكتاب الذين يمتلكون اسلوباً عصرياً في كتابة قصص الأطفال المصوره بالرغم من قدم الكتاب نفسه 1848.
لذا بحثت عنه في الإنترنت ووجدته مع الرسومات الأصليه - قرأته بترجمة مارك توين هنا: http://germanstories.vcu.edu/struwwel... - ..
..
أولاً، مالذي كان الأطفال يقرأونه !!!
قصه الطفل الذي يمص اصبعه مخيفه !
أما بولين وأعواد الكبريت!
يا إلهي! سعيده اني لم أقرأها وأنا طفله وإلا “مت من الخوف”. ! أعني تخيل قصصاً سعيده وغنائيه وسهلة الكلمات لكن تنتهي بنهايات مفجعه من موت وتقطيع أطراف وحرق !
أشعر برغبة كبيره في إخبارها لأخي الصغير، لكن لا أستطيع تخيل تأثيرها على نفسيته - أطفال اليوم يعيشون بعالم اليوم. قصص الرعب هذه ستهزهم للأعماق xD -..

على كُل حال، الكتاب ممتع جداً، ولن أنكر تمتعي الشديد في قرائته بصوت عالي والتمتع بلغته وموسيقيته.


مايمز القصص الشعرية هذه أنها عالمية الفكره، فهي تناقش مشاكل الأطفال التي كُلنا نعاني منها ( اللعب بالنار، مص الأصابع، تخريب المنزل، رفض السباحه وتمشيط الشعر، رفض الأكل.. إلخ).

- قصة أوغستين و شوربة الحساء. الطفل الذي يمص اصبعه
بالتأكيد أملك فكره محترمه لكل طفل وأي قصه تناسبه خخخخخخ.

[Monica Simpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading the Afterward helped me understand the context in which this terrifying little book was written. I was challenged to read it through a different lens than my own. Approaching it as a parody of earlier hyper-moralistic tales helped. A little. Knowing that the author began writing these stories for ill and confined children also helps to shed some light on their origin. Some kids would relish these stories and others may cower. A lot may depend on how one approaches the book alongside the child - as a howlingly funny joke book, a menacing threat to said child's well-being because of any number of childish disobediences, or something in between. While I raised my kids with lots of books and humor, I'll have to give it a little more thought and proceed with caution as I consider whether to pass this on to my grandkids.

[Rachel Nicole Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a terrifying children's novel filled with short stories about naughty children. With that respect, I really enjoyed it.

xo,
Rach

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der Struwwelpeter or Shockheaded Peter is a German children's book written by Heinrich Hoffmann. He decided to write the book after being unable to find a suitable book for his three year old son and the book was first published in 1845. It consists of ten cautionary tales, predominantly about errant children and the consequences of their behaviour. One of the most memorable stories concerns Conrad who, despite being warned of the consequences of sucking his thumb, continues to do so and has his thumbs cut off by the crazed Scissor man.

'The door flew open, in he ran,
The great, long, red legg'd scissor man,
Oh! children, see! the tailor's come
And caught out little Suck-a Thumb,
Snip! Snap! Snip! the scissors go;
And Conrad cries out - Oh! Oh! Oh!
Snip! Snap! Snip! They go so fast
That both his thumbs are off at last'

The text is accompanied by horrifying and extremely graphic illustrations detailing the fates of the children involved. However, the book effectively satirises the whole genre cautionary tales for children popular during this period. Younger children might be frightened by some of the imagery, (Harriet, burning to death after playing with matches, for example) but older children usually relish the grotesque tales and illustrations, recognising the humour in the book.

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Struwwelpeter is an old collection of very traumatic children's tales. The premise appears to be if you scare the crap out of your kid, you will also scare the thumb out of their mouth and make them brush their hair.

The tales start with a kid acting bad, and then their behavior causes some ironic misfortune. The girl playing with matches burns her face off. A boy outside in the rain is blown away to oblivion. But the most memorable tale is about the tailor who cuts off the thumbs of kids who suck them. Some of the punishments fit the crime, like when the kid beats his dog, but is looking up while walking such a terrible thing to do?

As a collection of bizarre and morbid tales, I found it a little amusing. I might have even given it an extra star if it wasn't so short. But I would advise against reading these to children unless you want them to kill you in your sleep sometime around adolescence. Come to think of it, that tale would have been a perfect way to wrap up the entire book.

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A patron came into the library asking about Struwwelpeter stories and after learning about them, my curiousity was piqued.

Heinrich Hoffman wrote Struwwelpeter (Slovenly Peter) stories to tell children what could happen as a result of bad behavior. His stories remind me of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or The Little Red Hen. One story is about a boy who always looked up while walking and then fell into a canal. Hoffman wrote quite a few stories about what happens when kids are slovenly (no one wants to be around them.)

Struwwelpeter stories are not horrible.

This book was horrible.

Sarita Vendetta and Jack Zipes took Heinrich Hoffman's stories and twisted them and then wrote a foreward about how Hoffman's stories are twisted.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heinrich Hoffmann (June 13, 1809 - September 20, 1894) was a German psychiatrist, who also wrote some short works including Der Struwwelpeter, an illustrated book portraying children misbehaving.





Just look at him! there he stands,
With his nasty hair and hands.
See! his nails are never cut;
They sre grimed as black as soot;
And the sloven, I declare,
Never once has combed his hair;
Anything to me is sweeter
Than to see SHOCK-HEADED PETER.

[Nick Gultig · Rating 4 out of 5]

When approaching this book I wasn't too sure what to expect but once I started reading I found out that this is a children's book full of stories about naughty kids. Through out the stories you read and learn about all the things the kids do in order to receive the consequences that occur to them. Some of the stories contain word choice and visuals that some may not want to read to their children, but in my opinion I don't think this book should be held from reading this book. It contains life lessons that some kids need to learn. Overall I enjoyed reading these stories and I hope all of you do as well!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of cautionary tales for children, I was quoted many of these tales by my Nan when I was little. I haven't read the german version but there doesn't seem to be any difference between it and the English translated version.
The pictures are slightly creepy but so are the tales, im not a huge fan of the Disney watered down versions of fairy tales (as the stories are supposed to be moralistic and haunting) not sickly sweet.
All in all this is a classic collection of cleverly written tales, for children and adults with a slightly dry/dark sense of humor.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was read to me, in German and then translated, by my Oma when I was young. It terrified me but also taught me not to play with matches, not to suck my thumb, to watch where I was walking and not to make fun of other people. The "morality" stories had a very big impact on me at the time. The pictures were grusome but their point hit home on some stories. I still have the book - I probably won't let my children see it until they're older but I will introduce them to it at some point!

[Daniela Stefania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro de verdad que enseña, de los mejores... un libro para niños que no es todo arco iris y unicornios. Quita por completo la idea de los héroes y príncipes o princesas encantadas, enseña que toda acción trae consecuencias y que todos (hasta los niños) deben enfrentarse a ellos. Me encantó y me hizo reír. Recomendado.

[Lily McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting take on teaching children valuable lessons. It fits the category of "Children's Literature" very well because it is focused on capturing the interest of children and getting ideas through to them by way of verse and short stories.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Struwwelpeter so much. This edition has a really brilliant essay in the beginning about what makes the Struwwelpeter such a phenomenon/curio.

[Ellexa Hella bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Austrian stepfather gave this to me when I was nine years old. It taught me many useful lessons.

[Mady Smarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most amusing children's books I have ever read. It featured a variety of quick, comedic verses. Though it's a children's book, I still found it really enjoyable

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally not what I expected! Both hilarious and kind creepy... I enjoyed it, although the little girl I nanny for would probably cry if I read it to her.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book (a different version than pictured here) for a children's literature assignment. It is amazing to see how popular this book is considering it was first published in 1845. It was originally written in German and was translated to English. It is written in rhyming format so I can't help but wonder how the wording may have had to have been changed from the original version to make the words rhyme in German.
Some of the rhymes may appear gruesome but most people don't know it was meant to make fun of dry books that were written for children at the time. If you read this with your kids, make sure you explain everything thoroughly.
I did enjoy the original illustrations in this version, drawing by the author who wrote it for his own child.
Even though it was meant to make fun, it also gives us a glimpse of what life was like in that time as well as to see how children's books have evolved.

[Cindy Huskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book cracks me up! With the scary cautionary tales and creepy illustrations, I'm sure this book set some children straight back in the day. Kids ate their soup, watched where they were going, and stopped sucking their thumbs.

Somebody needs to write a modern version of this book for today's youth. I can easily see a modernized version of "The Story of Johnny Head-in-Air" rewritten as "The Story of Johnny Phone-in-his-Face."

[Simon Pockley · Rating 3 out of 5]

My edition is hardback, published by Blackie (undated c1940) with a different title Struwwelpeter: Merry Stories & Funny PIctures. The sanitised renaming indicates how attitudes and behaviours have changed. I remember this book as a child and while the verse seems forced - even lame, and cautionary subjects almost baffling, I believe this book speaks in a form brutal subliminal language of gratuitous violence that children understand.

[Jo Besser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this. The stories/poems were super dark. The art was just as dark, it was creepy but in a totally awesome way.

I also like how during WWII they changed around some of the stories/poems to fit Hitler and the Nazi's. If you need a little bit of creepy, I definitely recommend this book.

[Spencer LaPorte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Even though it was written a very long time ago, it still applies today. With short stories within it and teaching lessons that a kid is learning is amazing to me that the lessons are still applied today.

[Sam]

Horrifying and hilarious, for adults. I am not sure whether today’s parents would actually want to read the stories to children today…unless the child had a brilliant sense of humor and understood that it was written a very long time ago in another country.

[T.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take it with a grain of salt but the story about the kid that beats the dog and gets bitten and the dog get the sausages just makes this a 5 star book no matter what

[Heidi Haskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

omg the Scissor Man, though