A New Slovenly Peter World

The Slovenly Peter Museum was located in Frankfurt's Westend for more than forty years. At the beginning of 2020, it opened its doors in the very center of the Old City Quarter of Frankfurt. Not many illustrators are honored by having a museum dedicated exclusively to their work. Eric Carle, Tomi Ungerer, and Erwin Moser immediately come to mind for those familiar with children's literature, as does Heinrich Hoffmann, the author and illustrator of the German classic Struwwelpeter (Slovenly Peter; 1845). Hoffmann is part of Germany's literary memory, but he is also well known in many countries around the world. In Austria and Switzerland, the Frankfurt native's work is still popular, and Hoffmann is known worldwide thanks to the many translations of his work into other languages, the most famous translation being that by Mark Twain. In Japan and Korea, Struwwelpeter is known and loved as Bobo Atama and Deobeogmeori ai or Deobeogmeoripeter. A long Slovenly Peter tradition also exists in Great Britain. This may explain why numerous English-speaking tourists visit the museum. Museum director Beate Zekorn-von Bebenburg suspects that "[m]any people just come in spontaneously when they are about to explore the new Old City Quarter and feel magically attracted by the figures in the foyer."

Indeed, comments such as "I like the exhibition in the new Old City Quarter better than the exhibition in Schubertstrasse" can be read in the guest book on the ground floor. This museum project was apparently implemented just perfectly. Zekorn-von Bebenburg is also enthusiastic about how the museum has been welcomed at the new, prominent Frankfurt location at Hinter dem Lämmchen 2–4, which reads as "behind the lamb" in English. It is quite close to the Römer, the cathedral, and the banks of the Main river. And, above all, it is only about 500 meters from the place where Heinrich Hoffmann wrote Slovenly Peter in 1844 for his then three-year-old son Carl. "The number of visitors has increased fivefold since its opening [at the new location]," the manager explained. "In the West End, we were based in a building from the late nineteenth century with creaking parquet floors and draughty windows. Many had heard of us but never made it to the West End. Now that has completely changed."

"This is ideal for children," nine-year-old Daniel wrote in the guest book. And truly, it is an amazing experience simply to be in this building in the newly reconstructed Frankfurt Old City Quarter. The entrance area is wide, airy, and friendly. The book characters Paulinchen and Hans-stare-in-the-air can also be seen in the foyer. The life-sized, colored statues from the Biedermeier period glow until midnight and lure children and adults into the interesting house. A large antique showcase, with impressive books by Herder, Stoltze, Lessing, and others, can be seen. It is an original showcase once owned by Heinrich Hoffmann himself.

The Slovenly Peter World can be found on the first floor. Once there, you discover the world-famous book and its author. When we visited, two children were engrossed in a movie, listening to it through headphones. On that Friday afternoon, some adults were using touchscreens to learn, among other things, some interesting details about Zacharias Löwental, the original publisher of Struwwelpeter. Visitors are informed that there still exist eight copies of the original first edition, that the picturebook cost fifty-seven dimes at the time, and that the fear of a fire in Frankfurt's Old City Quarter was immensely great during that period. Suddenly you understand the story of Paulinchen much better.

"The exhibits, some of which are very sensitive, are now better cared for in terms of conservation issues, and the lighting is coordinated with the drawings. With the help of both analog and digital games, children can now more intensely discover this book, which has been translated into over forty languages," the museum director explained. Should you be looking...