The Terrifying Victorian Children's Tale of Struwwelpeter

[@ForeignField]

Any other terrifying children's books you can think of? Let us know... we might do episodes on those.

[@lnrd03]

There is also the German story of Max and Moritz, who blow up their teacher, kill animals and do bad stuff. In the end they get grinded in a mill (alive!) and eaten by chicken. As a kid you don't really think about it, but in retrospective it seems pretty fucked up😂

[@ChrisTian-rm7zm]

@@lnrd03 I think Max und Moritz is a parody of Struwwelpeter. It is certainly not a children's book, like Wilhelm Busch's picture stories as a whole. He had a rather wry and somewhat cynical sense of humor.

[@Keno-x6e]

Struwwelhitler

[@ryxan6968]

​@@lnrd03Exactly it's not normal for a kid to get the messed up part, kids that understand the messed up part where messed up before reading these storys not by reading them.

[@ryxan6968]

​​@@Keno-x6eNot funny Struwwelpeter came out 1844 A.H. wasn't even born than.

[@ezrastardust3124]

Fun fact: the author actually wrote this as a Christmas present for his son I can’t decide if that’s wholesome or terrifying

[@brasschick4214]

The author was also a psychiatrist 😳🤦‍♀️😂

[@ImpeRiaLismus]

My grandma read this to me when I was little. It didn't really scare me, it just showed me consequences of certain actions and was totally fine. Is this problematic today? I am 34 by the way.

[@monicaaulich378]

I grew up with this book and thought of it as funny, not scary

[@Fritz-co4pb]

Im twenty, also got this read to me. I loved it. Max und Moritz was also really fun

[@brendanduffy2367]

Brilliant I love every story and the illustrations are exquisite.

[@ForeignField]

Really glad you enjoyed this

[@robert48719]

I veto the racist theory. For that time, I think it is such amazing for someone standing up against racism. Well and the way how it goes: it's for children. You gotta find an understandable way to teach kids that discrimination is bad

[@markpetrie163]

I read that as a young teenager...............

[@ForeignField]

I'm surprised just how far this reaches

[@Metalex105]

I was read these as a kid like 10 years ago

[@luviereinsdrei]

wait until you find out about max und moritz👀

[@canuckprogressive.3435]

An early and less depressing form of Beavis and Butthead.

[@canuckprogressive.3435]

We had this book at home when I was very young. I don't think it traumatized me. Heck I even failed to learn the lessons in it. I was not a model child.

[@IrishsusieO]

I love this book as my German mother read it to me!

[@canuckprogressive.3435]

Same.

[@BeeLZBeeb]

One dislike from struwwelhitler

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Augustus was a ruddy lad" (I never heard him called Casper)

[@jessicaherring1507]

I wish I could read this to my preschool class! I fear I’d be promptly given my marching orders however…these are such humorous and clever rhymes

[@robinbaylor2672]

There are some fairly decent English language translations.

[@caroldefender4144]

*coughs in i made rewrites that are slightly less gory*

[@monicaaulich378]

I grew up with this book

[@Metalex105]

You forgot a couple of stories.