Benjamin the Elephant
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| Radio play from Germany | |
| Year of production | since 1977 |
| genre | Children's series |
| consequences | 145+ specials |
| production |
Jutta Buschenhagen , Gabi Salomon |
| Publisher / label | Kiddinx |
| Contributors | |
| author |
Elfie Donnelly (creator), Ulli Herzog †, Vincent Andreas |
| Director | Ulli Herzog †, Jutta Buschenhagen, Michael Schlimgen |
| music |
Michael Thilo , Heiko Rüsse |
| speaker | |
Benjamin Blümchen is a radio play and cartoon character penned by Elfie Donnelly . The radio play series is one of the most successful German radio plays, which were mainly directed by Ulli Herzog on the Kiddinx label (formerly Kiosk ).
action
Benjamin (Bartholomäus) Blümchen is an anthropomorphic , in this case speaking, elephant from the zoo in the fictional Neustadt and protagonist of the radio play series of the same name. The central part of the stories are usually adventures that Benjamin experiences with his ten-year-old human best friend Otto in and around Neustadt (the central location of the plot); he often takes on a corresponding profession and, as usual for children's radio plays and films, masters it with flying colors.
Benjamin Blümchen knows no language barriers. In many different episodes Benjamin can talk to other elephants or other animals in addition to people of different origins, so he organizes his birthday with Otto in episode 9 ( has his birthday ) or talks to an Indian elephant in episode 70 ( Benjamin and Bibi in India ). Apart from a few episodes, e.g. B. Episode 37 ( The gorilla is gone ) and 38 ( The zoo is moving ), in which Bibi Blocksberg helps some animals to use human language, Benjamin Blümchen is the only animal that can speak human language. Episode 48 ( receives a present ) is a special case , in which Benjamin Blümchen receives the little elephant Nuckel, who speaks human language, as a present. Furthermore, his wife Leila (in episode 11, On the Moon ; but not in episode 7 Falling in love ) can also speak human language. Benjamin's relatives in Africa also speak human language, but only Swahili (episode 4, In Africa ). In this very episode (in contrast to later) Benjamin Blümchen does not speak the elephant or even animal language .
From 2003 to 2010, Benjamin Blümchen was the trademark of the Centro Park in Oberhausen.
characters
| Benjamin Blümchen's figures | |||||||
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| figure | speaker | description | |||||
| Benjamin the Elephant |
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Main character; anthropomorphic elephant | |||||
| Otto |
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Benjamin's best human friend (10 years old), he is mostly with his friend in the elephant house. His parents play in the episode Der Skiurlaub , for example . In some episodes we learn that Otto's father is Ottokar, his mother is Ortrud (episode 111) and his sister Ottilie (episode 6). | |||||
| Theodor Tierlieb |
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Zoo director and good friend of Benjamin. Since the zoo almost always has too little money, Benjamin often has to help its director in order to generate income.
Zoo director Tierlieb is a gifted piano player. Above all, Beethoven's Op. 129 (Anger over the lost penny) can often be heard playing from his house. |
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| Karl |
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Keeper of the zoo. Karl is a good friend of Benjamin and brings him his favorite food: sugar lumps. He is also the soccer goalkeeper of Neustädter SC (episode 19). | |||||
| Karla Kolumna |
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Frenzied reporter for the Neustädter Zeitung. She is originally from Berlin (episode 21), is single (episode 52), speaks quickly and constantly has new ideas for headings for her articles. In doing so, she does not always take the truth precisely in favor of a headline. She likes to use diminutive when speaking or addressing people, that's how she calls the mayor mayor . | |||||
| Mayor Bruno Dafke, Mayor Sperling |
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Mayor of the city. The citizens of Neustadt are always angry with him, but Benjamin often helps him out of the “political tight spot”. Benjamin Blümchen subsequently took his place as mayor . In the episode Benjamin Blümchen auf dem Baum the mayor is called Dafke, in the episode Benjamin Blümchen has birthday , the mayor is called Sperling. In the Bibi Blocksberg episodes The Fortune Teller , The Pirates and The Hexed Calendar , he says his name is Bruno Preßsack, in the episode Das Lufttaxi he also uses his name as Bruno. | |||||
| Secretary Paul Pichler (also Palle Pichler) |
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The mayor's secretary. He stands by his boss, but is usually bullied and chased around by him. | |||||
| Councilor |
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The city councilor of Neustadt often helps the mayor to make difficult decisions. In episode 51 (Christmas Eve) she comes to the zoo and sings Christmas carols with Benjamin and his friends | |||||
| Erwin narrator |
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As an observer, he speaks the consequences. In some episodes he breaks through the fourth wall and talks to the characters such as B. goes shopping in Benjamin Blümchen , Benjamin Blümchen dreams or where is Otto? . | |||||
| Bibi Blocksberg |
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Actually, Elfie Donnelly's own series heroine. She is a small, kind-hearted witch and occasionally helps Benjamin and Otto, as in the episode The Zoo is moving . | |||||
| Baron von onion fright |
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The very rich Baron von Onion Schreck lives with his butler James in a villa next to the zoo. He has several unusual hobbies such as ballooning and is also an honorary citizen and patron of Neustadt. | |||||
Elfie Donnelly often chooses alliteration for the names of her characters . The surnames mostly refer to the specific quality or occupation of the person, as with Karla Kolumna (reporter), Bibi Blocksberg ( legend has it that witches wait for the arrival of the devil on Walpurgis Night on the Blocksberg ( Brocken ) ), Theodor Tierlieb (Zoo director) or Waldemar Waldmann (forester in episode 76). Erwin narrator breaks through the fourth wall in some episodes and becomes part of the story through the interaction with the characters.
Development of the series
The series has undergone several changes in the more than 40 years of its existence. On the one hand, the team of speakers has changed forever. Until 1993, except for the role of Otto (which was changed twice, because the respective male speakers broke their voices and sounded too grown-up, and for whom a female voice, Katja "Kay" Primel) was chosen, all speakers were largely the same remained (with the exception of a few changes in the first few episodes). In 1994 Edgar Ott died as Benjamin Blümchen, in 1998 Joachim Nottke (narrator), and in 2010 Heinz Giese (mayor). "Herr Tierlieb", Hermann Wagner , left for reasons of age and died in 1999, so that only Till Hagen (caretaker Karl) and Katja Primel (Otto) remained from the "core formation" of the 80s . With Gisela Fritsch (Karla Kolumna), who died in 2013 , it could be observed that her role was less cranked than in the early episodes due to her aging voice. Smaller recurring characters like the nameless policeman (voiced by Dieter Kursawe ) or the mischievous Herr Schmeichler ( Klaus Miedel ) did not appear in the series after the death of their voice actors .
Another factor that has changed over the years is the character drawing, especially of Benjamin and Otto. In the first episodes they are much more adult and less childish, they also seem to know more than in the later episodes and the choice of topics in the later episodes is different. In the first episodes, “career consequences” clearly dominate, which can hardly be found from episode 80 onwards.
In terms of content, the change in authorship played a role, since inventor Elfie Donnelly only worked on the series up to episode 65.
Recurring motifs
Especially in the early episodes there are a lot of recurring elements, some of them of a humorous nature. These include, for example:
- Benjamin's passion for sugar lumps (but also other foods such as bananas, cotton candy).
- Benjamin's tendency to smash doors (sometimes telephone boxes or escalators).
- The “falling short” of the narrator, who is the only one who does not benefit from something Benjamin is doing because of the fourth wall . Another recurring motif is that he is not let in on secrets (usually through whispers from the actors).
- Karla's curiosity, omniscience as well as her talkativeness, and insensitivity (especially in the earlier episodes).
- The zoo's shortage of money and Mr Tierlieb's desperation about it.
- Karla's circle of friends in Neustadt.
- Benjamin generally has a perfect command of human language, but seems to have a problem with foreign words (“what is 'sibel'?” For sensitive ) and generally likes to take expressions literally (“boredom, how do you spell it?” - “long - ... ”) or confusing word meanings (for example when he is sad that the mayor wants to“ blow up ”the beautiful flowers in front of the town hall).
- In some episodes, especially very early ones, metafictional elements are sometimes used : Benjamin becomes a teacher; “In reality it doesn't happen that fast, of course, but in a story it does” (episode 6 ... and the school ); People can speak, "some elephants too, especially invented ones" (episode 8 on the tree ).
Series universe
The series Benjamin Blümchen shares a series universe with the series Bibi Blocksberg , Bibi and Tina and Elea Eluanda . With the series Bibi Blocksberg she has the setting Neustadt in common and the secondary characters Karla Kolumna, the mayor and his secretary Pichler, as well as Baron von Onion Schreck appear in both series. There are guest appearances of the character Bibi Blocksberg in several episodes. In addition, the main characters of the other series are occasionally mentioned.
Trivia
- In episode 6 ( and the school ) one of the students is called “Momme”, which is particularly noticeable because otherwise all of the children in the series have relatively traditional names. This is a reference by inventor Elfie Donnelly to her son, who is called Momme.
- In episode 7 ( falls in love ) Otto lists a number of friends of Benjamin. After characters known from the series, there are also " Ms. Buschenhagen and Elfie and Ulli ..."
- In episode 9 ( it's birthday ), the city council discusses how to deal with the 285 elephants who have registered for Benjamin's birthday. The following dialogue develops: City Councilor 1: “It's best to emigrate”, City Councilor 2: “Yes, to emigrate”, City Councilor 3: “You should do that anyway, now that this Mr. Emu, or whatever his name is, comes to power comes ". Since the episode dates from 1980, an allusion to the CSU chancellor candidate in the federal election Franz Josef Strauss can be seen.
- In the SpongeBob Squarepants episode Geizig remains stingy , Mr. Krabs ironically pretends to be Benjamin Blümchen in the German version. Interestingly, both are dubbed by Jürgen Kluckert . (Ironically, because Benjamin Blümchen is arguably the kindest elephant in the world, while Mr. Krabs is arguably the most stingy crab in the entire deep sea.)
Theme music
In the first 57 episodes, or until 1987, the melody of the singer Michael Thilo was used for the original recordings , who sings the title song, beginning with the line "On a beautiful green meadow, there is a large gray mountain" and accompanies it with the guitar . The song consists of three stanzas in total, usually only one stanza, usually the first, was heard.
Special Christmas music was used in episode 51. There is no theme song in episode 52.
In 1989 Heiko Rüsse composed a new theme song and recorded it with a children's choir. This piece, whose refrain begins with “Benjamin, you dear elephant ...” , has been used in radio plays since episode 58 . This composition was also used for the animated film series. In addition, the old title melody was replaced with this in all new editions of the first 57 episodes. The song was re-sung for episode 95, but the text was retained and is currently still in use.
Film adaptations
Cartoon series
The animated series of the same name has its own structure and is running successfully in numerous countries. In addition to the almost half-hour series episodes, there are several 45-minute long films. The raven Gulliver (spoken by Wolfgang Digit ) appears as a substitute for the narrator from the radio plays. There are three seasons so far, the first with 13 episodes (as well as four full-length episodes and one special episode) was directed by Gerhard Hahn . The second and third seasons, each with 26 episodes, were produced by A-Film in Denmark . While the episodes of the 90s retell the radio play templates almost exactly, the episodes of the 2nd and 3rd season with the radio plays often only have the name and the rough storylines in common. While z. For example, in the radio play sequence when a group of people was transported as a train driver , in the cartoon series the locomotive is transported to a distant workshop for repair.
Motion picture
The movie Benjamin Blümchen was released in August 2019 . In addition to Benjamin, Otto, Karla, Karl, Mr. Tierlieb, the mayor and Mr. Pichler can also be seen.
Sequence index
Radio plays
Regular episodes (year of publication)
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Bedtime stories (year of publication)
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Cartoon series
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season 1
Feature films and special episodes
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season 2
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season 3
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Awards
The entire series of radio plays has received 99 gold and 122 platinum so far . The most commercially successful episodes were episode 6 ( Benjamin Blümchen and the school ) and episode 21 ( Benjamin Blümchen as Santa Claus ): Both received 5 golds each, so 1,250,000 each were sold.
Scientific investigations
In an article for Politics and Contemporary History (Federal Center for Political Education), political scientist Gerd Strohmeier examines how the radio play series Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg influence the socialization process of children.
In his opinion, they want to convey political content explicitly. However, they do not promote the development of politically mature citizens, but rather hinder it. The mayor is incompetent, selfish and generally a ridiculous figure, the police officers appear militarily as incompetent and ridiculous henchmen of the mayor. The radio play characters and the reporter Karla Kolumna, however, always stand for the good. According to the basic pattern, the mayor decides something that benefits him personally or his friends at the expense of the general public. The radio play characters and the reporter enlighten the citizens so that the mayor (again bypassing the city council) presents and implements the “right thing” as his own idea.
Strohmeiers conclusion: “The 'right' political positions and behaviors are ecological, post-materialistic, grassroots democracy, critical, civil courage, pacifist, social, anti-capitalist, egalitarian, tend to be anarchic or anti-state, anti-hierarchical, anti-authoritarian and anti-conservative; in other words: 'left' of the political center (left-liberal to left-wing alternative). ”It is to be welcomed that, according to the radio play series, the media and the population can influence political decision-making processes. “However, it is extremely worrying that the media, together with the Neustadt citizens (and of course the radio play heroes) are on the 'right side' in contrast to politics, police and business, that this side can always assert itself and political decisions in the Rule cannot be met democratically. "
The political didacticist Oliver Emde comes to contradicting results. In a contribution to a relevant anthology, he contextualizes the characters at the time they were created and sees “unconventional participation” as a special feature of the radio play series. He analyzes the author's understanding of rule, which he attests to consistently have a critical stance towards an institutionalized order as the order of rule. Strohmeiers criticism misunderstood the potential of the radio play for a political socialization of children. In particular, the conflicts, which were discussed again and again, conveyed a vivid picture of democracy.
swell
- ↑ Elfie Donnelly - Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg - Episode 20 (1982) at Discogs
- ^ Benjamin Blümchen Song. (PDF; 512 kB) Kiddinx , accessed June 7, 2013 .
- ↑ so in the original; in more recent editions: "as a weather elephant"
- ↑ Gold-Platinum Database Federal Association of the Music Industry, as of March 26, 2020
- ↑ Gerd (Andreas) Strohmeier: Politics with Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg In: From Politics and Contemporary History No. 41, 2005, p. 7
- ↑ Gerd (Andreas) Strohmeier: Politics with Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg In: From Politics and Contemporary History No. 41, 2005, p. 11, p. 15
- ↑ From Politics and Contemporary History 41/2005 , viewed on August 5, 2010.
- ↑ Emde, Oliver: Civil disobedience in the depoliticized Neustadt? Political participation in "Benjamin Blümchen". In: Emde, Oliver; Möller, Lukas; Wicke, Andreas (Ed.): From “Bibi Blocksberg” to “TKKG”. Children's radio plays from a social and cultural studies perspective. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto 2016, pp. 16–25.
Web links
- Benjamin Blümchen's website
- Benjamin Blümchen (1988) in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Benjamin Blümchen (2002) in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Brochure about Ulli Herzog with biography and detailed information (PDF; 1.47 MB)
- Federal Agency for Civic Education : Politics with Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg
- D-Radio Knowledge: Stereotypical children's radio plays