Schreckenstein Castle

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Burg Schreckenstein is a book series for young people by Oliver Hassencamp , written between 1959 and 1988. The series comprises 27 volumes that were published by Franz Schneider Verlag until 1993 . Most of the illustrations in the Schneider edition are by Nicolaus Moras. In 2000 a revised new edition was published by Omnibus-Verlag; the illustrations for this edition were made by Silvia Christoph .

In the 1970s and 1980s, Schreckenstein Castle was set to music as a radio play . In 1978 Europa released five episodes on record and compact cassette , and in the 1980s Schneider Ton tried a total of seven cassettes.

Between 2002 and 2005, the Hörverlag produced the first six volumes of the Schreckenstein series as a complete audio book reading of the new editions, read by Rufus Beck : Die Jungs von Burg Schreckenstein (2002), Auf Schreckenstein It's funny to (2002), Auf Schreckenstein is daily Fun (2002), Die Schreckensteiner on the run (2002), The Riddle of Castle Schreckenstein (2003) and Two new ones at Castle Schreckenstein (2005). Even computer games for the terror stone background have appeared, but do not play the stories from the volumes to.

In 2015, work began on a film adaptation of the material, which was released in cinemas on October 20, 2016. Schreckenstein Castle 2 followed in December 2017.

action

The series describes the adventures of a boys' school that had to move from Neustadt to Schreckenstein Castle due to lack of space. Impressed by the new environment and in this new community, which lives in a small space with the teachers, the young people decide to live according to the ideals of the old castle residents and to adhere to the rules of fairness, honesty and truth. Since then the boys have been calling themselves "knights".

One ongoing element of the plot is the constant but friendly guerrilla warfare with the students at the Rosenfels Castle girls' boarding school, which is carried out in the form of pranks, usually at night. Often, however, there are also stories in which the "knights" compete against the pupils of the Neustadt schools Ebert and Franz-Josef, defend their reputation in front of the school office and the public and have to assert themselves against prejudice. Another motif that is used several times is the integration of new students into the “knighthood”, which often does not go without conflicts.

The books never explain where the castle and its surroundings are geographically; however, the place names indicate Upper Swabia . This becomes particularly clear in the third volume of the series, in which Andi and Dampfwalze travel by bike through Switzerland to Italy to take part in a cycling event. The plot contains several references to the author's biography: Hassencamp attended the Schloss Salem boarding school , was a member of a jazz band and was an avid cyclist.

The books use the narrative method of the floating timeline : Although in real terms a period of several decades stretches between the publication of the books, on the one hand the “present” of the book that has just been published is identical to that of the time of publication, although on the other hand the plot has been since the events of hardly any time has passed from previous books. The timeframe of the series “flows” through time, so to speak. This not only means that the protagonists (in contrast to the Harry Potter book series ) do not or hardly age, and that the individual students are always in the same (or very close) year, but also that, without further explanation, more modern Technology can find its way into the Schreckenstein universe .

The ultimate fate of the Schreckenstein Castle School - with regard to public recognition by the Education Authority - has remained unexplained after the volume Whispers at Schreckenstein Castle due to the author's accidental death.

Volumes

The individual volumes, listed by date of publication:

Volume 1: The boys from Schreckenstein Castle, 1959

Since there is a shortage of classrooms in Neustadt, Count Schreckenstein offers his premises for rent from the town's castle a few kilometers away. The boys are impressed by the atmosphere in the castle and find that pranks against teachers become less attractive if you live with the same teachers all the time. The boys classify the original inhabitants of the castle, the "knights", as tough, decent guys who do not lie and stand by their deeds. They want to emulate them. The pupil Stephan Breuer is new, is classified as a show-off by the others and is palpably put in his place within the community. When, with the help of teacher Dr. Waldmann, whose daughter Sonja and the pupil Ottokar unmasked a prospective buyer for the castle as a fraud, the school is granted a right of residence by the count and Stefan is accepted into the community of "knights".

Volume 2: There is a lot of fun on Schreckenstein, 1960/61

At a meeting with Dr. Waldmann and daughter Sonja learn about the existence of a girls' boarding school on the other side of the lake, Rosenfels Castle. Sonja Waldmann has recently started working there as a music teacher. When she missed the last bus, the two students row her across the Kappellsee to save time. Once there, Stephan and Ottokar used the opportunity to strike Rosenfels for the first time; but when they found out days later that two Rosenfels schoolgirls were being held for the perpetrators and were being punished, Stephan Breuer and Ottokar Schimmerding were contacted by the headmistress Dr. Horn presented and committed to the deed. The headmistress is unwillingly impressed, but the two students are not. This leads to a series of mutual pranks, an unsuccessful fire brigade exercise by the Schreckensteiners and finally a modern new staging of the sea battle of Salamis to a great reconciliation celebration between the two schools.

Volume 3: There is daily fun on Schreckenstein, 1966

A new student joins them - Andi, who recently conceded ten goals from the Schreckensteiners in a handball game. He brings with him the hobbies of playing Indian games and cycling and quickly settles into the community, which he breathes fresh into the sails with some extraordinary ideas. In an attempt to trump these pranks, Andi and the steamroller literally go too far one day: they secretly set off on their racing bikes to Italy to take part in the bike race for a report in their school newspaper.

Volume 4: Die Schreckensteiner on the run, 1969

Because the heating system at Schreckenstein Castle has failed and the repair will take longer than is acceptable for health reasons at low temperatures, the pupils are temporarily accommodated in the Rosenfels Castle Girls' Boarding School. This measure does not meet with approval everywhere. The students have the impression that they have to fulfill all duties as a guest, but have no rights. To make it clear how much femininity stinks to them, the “knights” go on a lengthy wash strike. Finally, in desperation, the girls seize the boys' clothes for washing. The boys are learning to rethink, because the girls were not really asked for their opinion on this change either. “Politeness” is included in the program as a knightly virtue. A carnival party at minus 28 degrees and a new record in bobsleigh with teacher Böcklmeier round off the time on Rosenfels.

Volume 5: The riddle of Schreckenstein Castle, 1973

Things don't just disappear in the castle, but also in Rosenfels. But when the “mini knight” Eberhard, tied up and gagged to skeleton “Paule”, and the box disappears, the students go from watching to attacking. You will learn the advantages of a twelve-speed gearshift on a racing bike and the disadvantages of a thorough chronicle. Three young burglars are arrested at the castle with great difficulty, because one of them has mastered elements of judo and karate. On this occasion, the "knights" were amazed to learn about a secret passage that leads down to the lake. What at first looks like running away from high spirits has domestic violence as its background. The "knights" try to find a sensible solution.

Volume 6: Two new ones at Schreckenstein Castle, 1975

Martina and her brother Beni, who originally came to Schreckenstein Castle as burglars, are now officially registered as students at Rosenfels Castle and the castle. They each settle in their own way. The second newcomer to the castle is Jerry: sporty, open and instantly popular. When Beni turns out to be not only a smoker, but also a secret schnapps distiller, the council of knights intervenes and uses the chosen method to trigger a discussion: How far can a student be a loner, how far is he committed to the community? The theft of several personal items of the knights and their finding in a garbage dump triggers a fight with a lot of mustard; there, “where everything is allowed as a young person! In the children's playground. "

Volume 7: Alarm at Schreckenstein Castle, 1976

The Rosenfelserin Beatrix is accused by Miss Doctor Horn of stealing an old, valuable bracelet from her, and since it cannot be found, the director of Rosenfels decides to expel the girl from school. In protest against this unjust accusation, Beatrix's entire class runs away with her; but even when the knights find out about this misery, the girls prefer to solve this case on their own. This discord and the upcoming wedding of a former Rosenfelserin, in which knights and girls are supposed to take part as a choir, cause some turbulent developments until the happy ending of this story.

Volume 8: Count Dracula on Horror Stone, 1977

A film crew has hired Schreckenstein Castle for filming because Count Schreckenstein needs the additional income to repair the roof. The pupils get an insight into the processes of filming and are allowed to discover that an actor can be completely different from the character portrayed in his private life and that the film crew is not very hospitable. Therefore it is important for the knights to get the film people on the right path without penalizing the shooting.

Volume 9: Conspiracy at Schreckenstein Castle, 1977

The students from Rosenfels Castle have to move to Schreckenstein Castle due to renovation work. The director of the castle speaks of democracy, the director of Rosenfels, on the other hand, forbids “nocturnal activities, so-called pranks” simply by means of house rules and wants boys and girls to be administered strictly separately. But so much paternalism in their own house stimulates the boys' spirit of contradiction, and the suspension of these “house rules” is actually already a done deal. But first an internal compromise has to be found when the knighthood begins to split over their new house guests and Ottokar and Stephan's long friendship in particular has to suffer from this dispute.

Volume 10: Robbery at Schreckenstein Castle, 1978

After a sports festival it turns out that one of the younger "knights" is missing. Research shows that three students from Neustadt, full of animosity against the "knights", mistook a prank for kidnapping. Instead, they get into trouble with the police, the Schreckensteiners free the mini-knight and, in "four eyes", the Rex instructs them to come up with a prank as a reminder for the three culprits. Thereupon a big scavenger hunt is developed for all participating schools, in which every participant can win not only marzipan but also sympathy with fairness and honesty.

Volume 11: The Castle Ghost of Schreckenstein, 1978

Count Schreckenstein decides to use parts of the castle as a hotel for the purpose of additional income. School operations are disrupted by this, especially since some of the guests behave less like guests and more like despots. When it comes to thefts from hotel rooms and unsightly accusations, the "knights" pull out all the stops to find the real culprits. The Count, relieved of a few heirlooms by guests and richer by one experience, ends the “Hotel Burg Schreckenstein” experiment.

Volume 12: Spies at Schreckenstein Castle, 1979

What trick have the "knights" not yet done against the students at Rosenfels Castle? If you knew what the girls are talking about, you would know what to annoy them with ... That's when the idea of wiretapping bugs comes up. When the younger "knights" insist on their right to meet in the torture chamber at the same time, they become the first target of the wiretapping. Everyone listens to everyone - disguise and deceive. For the first time, during a prank, the manager of Rosenfels is simply asked by the great "knights" in the middle of a rainy night to call a taxi for them to return. Who would have thought that she would ever take an active part in a prank over potato salad and Schreckensteiner wine, the too-late-harvest? At the latest, when the student body asks their principal to be allowed to sleep in, it is clear: espionage is not knightly.

Volume 13: Thirteen Strikes at Schreckenstein, 1979

After the holidays, the pupils find the drawbridge up and do not come to their own castle, but still go to class on time; the campsite set up by the mayor in her absence not only flushes money into the cash register, but also a lot of packaging waste in the surrounding area. The "knights" Pummel and Eugen get two new aunts on the sailing trip and the knights gradually get things under control. You have something against the mayor's blanket suspicions about several strange, ugly incidents.

Volume 14: The Wizard of Schreckenstein, 1979

The “knights” are occupied with a series of half-hearted pranks: a pair of underpants from “Dampfwalze” appears in the glove compartment of Dr. The student's car is switched on, the lights are only half lit, the athletics team's wristwatches are all swapped after training - what's that supposed to mean? The lecture guest who is too keen on foreign words on the subject of the Renaissance is an easy task compared to this “Type X”, as the knights call the unknown cause. (He prefers to call himself “The Magician”.) Because Type X triggers suspicion and mutual observation throughout the castle - there can be no more talk of community. Time for countermeasures.

Volume 15: The knight drama von Schreckenstein, 1980

The Landschule Burg Schreckenstein has to be quarantined during Easter, of all times. Since the knights are now stuck in the castle all day and without their regular school activities, they have to come up with something new so that boredom doesn't get stuck with them. The subsequent feeding orgies, an Easter hiding campaign across the entire castle, a fire brigade exercise with unusual accessories and finally school lessons during the holidays offer only a small prelude to the really big highlight: the titular "Knight's Drama by Schreckenstein".

Volume 16: One to zero for Schreckenstein, 1981

A Scottish relative of Count Schreckenstein comes to visit the castle. This not-even-incident is the prelude to one of the most rampant pranks of the Schreckensteiners: They put all their money together to finance a surprise visit to Duncraig Castle, the old school of their guest. Because boys like her live there as pupils in a castle, albeit under different conditions. The cold, the Highland Games and the food are quickly digested by the knights, but the Schreckensteiners consider the serious warnings of Scottish ghosts for showing off. Wrong, as it turns out.

Volume 17: Snoopers at Schreckenstein Castle, 1981

A backstroke against the girls - the transport of their concert grand piano to Schreckenstein by tractor - is made known to the police by the first aid of the "Knights" after a car accident, made public via the local newspaper and makes the school authorities sit up and take notice. “If something goes well for a long time, you should check whether it is actually still good. Otherwise tradition will become sloppy, ”the director interprets the two-man commission, which is to check the conditions in the castle on an official basis. The unexplained nocturnal scratching noise, which cannot even be dealt with with the new alarm system, is only a minor problem compared to the task of representing the "Schreckenstein model" in front of these testers both calmly and successfully.

Volume 18: The Soldiers of Fortune from Schreckenstein, 1982

While the Schreckenstein students laboriously renovate their castle on their own, the fun of betting was discovered at Rosenfels Castle: football pools. With the consideration that one could have better chances of betting thanks to their knowledge, the “knights” are included - in the Rosenfels style: unreliable and to the disadvantage of the youngsters. For z. Sometimes there are nightly negotiations, there is a lot of sailing across the lake (with and without boarding school director Horn on board), list follows counter-list - until the unexpected occurs: a win, and what a win. This is less relaxed at Rosenfels than at Schreckenstein Castle: In Wampoldsreute, the boys treat themselves to a feast that is worthy of its name. Most of your profits will go towards the professional renovation of the castle.

Volume 19: The horror tour of Schreckenstein, 1982

From the annual sports festival onwards, it is no longer the same as it used to be: First a Neustadt student named Florian proclaims both arrogantly and convincingly that the Schreckensteiners would not win this year for the first time. Then Ottokar simply stops at the decisive run just before the finish line. When the “knights” find out the real reason for this, without much thought, Dampfwalze is appointed the new school captain. A prank by the “mini knights” against Rosenfels is brutally thwarted by the great “knights” and also documented photographically. Only after a hint from Florian's aunt, professionally clairvoyant, did the Schreckenstein students take the opportunity to reflect on what is really important to them - of all things at the creepy Rülpshorst Castle and against forces that cannot be dealt with with the usual methods.

Volume 20: The Black Swan from Schreckenstein, 1983

The “knights” cannot let the fact that the contents of their wardrobes have been sprayed with five kinds of sweet scents by the Rosenfelser women. Stephan wants to keep Beatrix out of the following nightly prank, whom he met. But she has observed strange incidents by a delivery truck with a Neustadt vehicle number at the lake, and a "knight" does not lie. This combination has avalanche-like consequences.

Volume 21: Thick Air on Schreckenstein, 1983

If the students of Burg Schreckenstein thought that the fire in the lord's wing would be the greatest excitement this school year, they were wrong. A group of five made up of “experts in education” will take a closer look at the Schreckenstein model - and these educators are really dangerous. Unfortunately, it soon turns out that these experts only want to see their already preconceived opinion confirmed and also like to resort to unfair means such as theft when choosing their methods. In order to prevent the prejudice of the commission from circulating in the professional world as “found confirmed on site” and the reputation of their school from being permanently damaged, the “knights” have to come up with all kinds of ideas. And that quickly.

Volume 22: The Phantom of Schreckenstein, 1984

“Nocturnal turbulence” is what the students from Schreckenstein Castle call the mysterious noises: trampling, creaking, knocking, which suddenly stop when it is bright. Mason saw himself admits that a castle ghost from his ancestral line is behind all this excitement; but only when the boys from Duncraig Castle pay the Schreckensteiners a surprise visit, the case of the mysterious spirit can finally be solved.

Volume 23: Schreckenstein secret code, 1986

A new teacher from Neustadt, Mr. Schaja, who stands in for the watering can who has fallen ill, quickly makes himself unpopular through his sniffing around in everyday knights. In order to get rid of this "timer", the knights invent a new language system in which their messages result in complete nonsense through substitute formulations for the uninitiated. A German guest student from the Orient, nicknamed "Hassan", and the girls from Rosenfels, who first want to give the "timer" a lesson and later kidnap "Hassan", cause further excitement.

Volume 24: The colorful dog from Schreckenstein, 1987

While the "knights" are now planning a new prank after the holidays, using city names instead of idioms, the girls from Rosenfels have come up with something different: Instead of introducing their new, exceptionally beautiful classmate Amanda to the knights at a normal social occasion, present them the new addition with an effect-conscious appearance in a suitable environment. The fact that Dampfwalze and Andi began to quarrel about Amanda, that the Schreckensteiner wanted to give a few thoughtless campers a lesson and that their dog ran into both schools caused some excitement around the Kapellsee in the next few weeks.

Volume 25: The Schreckenstein sports competition, 1987

The Schreckenstein Castle School is officially approved, but not authorized to take the Abitur examination. The state-of-the-art Collegium Castellum has this approval, in which boys and girls are taught together on a trial basis with a focus on their skills and future career choices. The fact that the Schreckenstein and Rosenfels women are invited to a sports competition by this declared elite school arouses the hope of the knights and castle teachers that they can prove themselves to the school office. However, they quickly discover that the Castellans behave anything but exemplary at their model school , and as a result, not only the competition, but the entire stay developed rather strange and extremely turbulent.

Volume 26: Knight's Tournament on Schreckenstein, 1988

A medical quarantine case in Neustadt, which quickly turns out to be a bad prank, brings the knights into the devil's kitchen with the local authorities because of their tendencies towards pranking. However, the perpetrator does not find himself in their ranks, but with the girls from Rosenfels of all places, and the knights now have to work piecework to refute both the suspicion against themselves and the real participants (who carried out the prank without malicious intent, but with the wrongly conceived consequences) to protect. And what better way to do this than to invite the suspects to a big tournament game at the castle?

Volume 27: Whispers at Schreckenstein Castle, 1988

In the new trimester it becomes increasingly sociable around the Kapellsee: knights and girls visit each other in pairs to deepen their personal relationships. However, one of the Rosenfels women falls by the wayside on this occasion: Beatrix, who recently lost her darling Stephan to her friend Anke of all people. Eaten by envy, she now begins to intrigue at both schools, and thereby causes the ghost seer Florian, the newest student at Schreckenstein, enormous problems to gain a foothold in the castle.

Characters

The Knights

Ottokar: (Full name: Ottokar Schimmerding); As the oldest of the boys, Ottokar is also the school captain by mutual agreement, who, as a kind of head boy, is the direct link between the students and the Rex. In this role he was only replaced twice (briefly): Von Dampfwalze (when Ottokar had a fit of self-doubt) and Beni (as "vacation captain"). He is a member of the Ritterrat and mostly shares a room with Stephan, Walter and Fritz.

Ottokar is well versed in dealing with electronic technology - his parents own an electrical specialist shop in Neustadt - and therefore often takes on the technical tasks when performing pranks. He is also represented in the Burg athletic team as a relay runner, high jumper and long jumper and plays in the horror rock jazz band as a drummer.

Ottokar maintains a close friendship with Stephan, Doctor Waldmann and his daughter Sonja. He is close friends with the Rosenfels resident Sophie, but the two (like Stephan and Beatrix) do not have an open partner relationship.

Stephan: (Also Stefan in some volumes; full name: Stephan / Stefan Breuer); Stephan is the first newcomer to be recorded on Schreckenstein in the series. After a few introductory difficulties, he quickly matured into a full-fledged "knight" and is one of the members of the knight council, head of the school fire department and founder and accordion player in the horror rock jazz band . In athletics he represents the school in discus throwing, shot put and relay races.

He maintains a close friendship with Ottokar, where he is the more creative side of the duo, and the teacher Doctor Waldmann and his daughter Sonja, with whom he and Ottokar meet for cake at least once per trimester . For the main part of the series he has a close friendship with the Rosenfels girl Beatrix, but towards the end of the series his interest changes to Anke.

Steamroller: (Real name not known; one of his three first names is Uwe); As one of the older boys at the castle, Dampfwalze is the strongest among them. Muscle mass, however, seems to harm his thinking (or at least its speed); in any case, he is not one of the most intellectual "knights", although he also has his creative highlights. This has also earned him the further, unflattering nickname “muscleman with a sparrow brain”.

Steamroller has a habit of pulling a face at the greatest astonishment or a similar emotional upheaval, which is called “Karpfenblick” by “knights” and Rosenfels women. He pretty much has the most picks of chivalry, both for the castle and for Rosenfels.

In the school team he works as a shot putter, hammer and discus thrower, and he is a member of the council of knights. He shares a room with Andi, Klaus and Dieter. He has a younger sister, and his mother owns the Neustadt restaurant, Zum Guten Drops , which is also a popular get-together for teachers in all schools in the area.

For a long time he has a romantic interest in Ingrid, which, however, remains unrequited. Towards the end of the series, he finds a soul mate in Beatrix.

mosquito: (Real name unknown); Although the smallest of the leading “knights”, Mücke is still a respected member of the Knights' Council because of his quick thinking and verbal repartee. These characteristics also make him editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and Chronik Wappenschild .

He has a twin sister named Ingrid who goes to school in Rosenfels Castle. Although they are not identical twins , their resemblance (short black hair) is so striking that it has often served as a prank.

And I: The second registered newcomer on Schreckenstein. His father was transferred to Neustadt to become chief of police there, and in this position he supports the “knights” in a number of adventures.

Andi first came to the Ebert School, but due to school and companionship problems he was finally transferred to Schreckenstein, where he was soon promoted to "Knight" because of his ingenuity. He is a member of the Ritterrat and the school newspaper Wappenschild and is also represented as a trumpeter in the horror rock jazz band .

Through his enthusiasm for bike races, he introduced this sport to the knighthood in general and was able to inspire the steamroller in particular for what made the two good friends. He also had an enthusiasm for Indians - the "knights" had given him the nickname "Chief Rim Brake" - which he lost very quickly on Schreckenstein. He finds himself romantically with Amanda, the most beautiful girl from Rosenfels.

Klaus: The prankster among the Schreckensteiners is only behind Mücke in his quick-wittedness and almost always has a casual saying on his lips. He also sits on the Council of Knights and is an athlete in the middle-distance runners. Among the Rosenfels women, he finds his partner in the lively Isabella.

Dieter: Roommate and almost constant companion of Klaus. He has a great talent for imitating voices and is a javelin thrower in the school team. He is also part of the council of knights.

Hans-Jürgen: The poet of knighthood. He is the keeper of the minutes in the Ritterrat and is responsible for the section on current affairs in the Wappenschild editorial office . He also plays the flute in the horror rock jazz band .

The mini knights: This designation for the four youngest of the original Schreckensteiners includes the names Herbert , Eberhard , Kuno and Egon . Although viewed as the “kids” of the castle community, they have just as much prank energy as the big ones and have shown talent in many situations. If something goes wrong, they provide the comic relief in the series.

Pummel and Eugen: (Pummels real name not known); Probably the most inseparable couple among the "knights". Both are the practical technicians of Burg Schreckenstein and talented sailors; They cross the Kappellsee as often as possible in their self-built boat. Both take part in the school team in the middle distance athletes. Pummel is also responsible for the Schreckensteiner landing stage and the boats, which earned him the title of water warden. Eugen's father is an architect.

Strehlau: (Full name: Horst Strehlau); The castle's model and best student because of his high IQ and photographic memory (hence his nickname "Computer"). Originally a mother's boy, Strehlau was able to develop more self-confidence and musical talent at the castle; As a pianist he plays both in the horror rock jazz band and in a duet with Fräulein Böcklmeier. He is a referee in athletics and, contrary to all odds, is very good at handball.

Walter and Fritz: Walter and Fritz are both roommates of Ottokar and Stephan. Fritz is known as the rare merry man who constantly has something to complain about with his brand sentence “It's not like it used to be”, while Walter plays the opposite pole for his friend. Fritz is also a middle-distance runner in the school team and enjoys playing chess with Walter.

Beni: The third registered newcomer on Schreckenstein. With Jerry's help, he and his older sister Martina had escaped from their abusive father, a judo and karate trainer who also trains police officers, to seek help from Jerry's uncle, a lawyer from Neustadt. However, since he was absent at the time, the three of them hid from the police at Schreckenstein Castle. After they had been caught by the "knights" and had described their situation to them, they were supported by them, and Beni and Jerry were taken to Schreckenstein.

After a few settling-in problems - and a lesson from the "knights" - Beni finally became a full "knight", while Jerry was kicked out after a sneaky prank against the knighthood - to which he was incited by the Neustadt students Udo and Andreas. Since then, Beni has proven to be a very imaginative lad and even temporarily replaced Ottokar once as "holiday captain".

Florian: Formerly a student at the Franz Joseph School in Neustadt, he moved to Schreckenstein towards the end of the series. But even before that he was known to the "knights": first as a super athlete in the 400-meter run, then as an intermediary for his psychic aunt, and finally as a disinterested comrade. At first plagued by uncertainty and Beatrix's machinations, he found a connection with the "knights" with the help of steam roller and proved to be a valuable addition. Towards the end of the last volume in the series, he is made a "knight".

Florian has an aunt called Madam Thekla, who is very famous as a clairvoyant. Through her, Florian discovered his own supernatural perception and has already experienced some parapsychic adventures. He's also the only one in the family who holds the rod for her; everyone else calls her a charlatan.

Florian and Madam Thekla appear in their own mini-series, which was also written by Oliver Hassencamp :

Volume 1: Florian the Ghost Seer (1979)
Volume 2: Florian on a ghost trip (1980)
Volume 3: Florian and the Haunted House (1981)

Emil: A pupil of the Schreckensteiner middle school. He excelled as the best lasso thrower and fastest swimmer ("Dolphin von Schreckenstein").

Ralph: Also an intermediate. He is known as the "eagle eye" because of his extremely good eyesight. His parents own the Capri ice cream parlor in Neustadt.

Armin: A mini knight who would like to stand out at every opportunity (which he really lives out in the episode The Wizard of Terror ). His father works in the beverage industry.

Dolf, Olf, Rolf and Wolf: Despite their similar-sounding names, these four don't seem to be related. Wolf is known for his insatiable curiosity.

Martin: A middle-class, and the most irascible of the knighthood. He is also a dog lover.

Udo: A mini knight who, towards the end of the series, turns the mini knight quartet Kuno, Herbert, Egon and Eberhard into a quintet .

The horror rock jazz band

The castle band was founded by Stephan. It consists of Stephan (accordion and electric guitar), Ottokar (drums), Strehlau (piano), Hans-Jürgen (flute), Oskar (guitar), Rolle (bass violin), Andi and later Florian (trumpet). The name is almost the translation of horror stone: horror - the horror, rock - the stone, the rock.

Every now and then at joint festivities Sonja Waldmann sings as the “voice” of the band and is not only admired by Schießbude for it.

The castle teachers

The rex: (Real name: Director Meyer); As the director of the castle school, the Rex also fulfills the role of the "official Schreckensteiner". He and the rest of the teaching staff have also adapted to castle life and support the Schreckensteiners in their pranks. When there are problems with outside parties - especially Miss Doctor Horn - the Rex shows exceptional patience and diplomatic skill.

For these reasons it is an unwritten must for the "knights" that without the Rex Schreckenstein practically cannot exist, and each of them supports him as best he can if problems arise. He teaches French and history and wears horn-rimmed glasses to deal with his nearsightedness.

Doctor Waldmann: One of the most popular and versatile teachers at the castle. He is even friends with Stephan and Ottokar, with whom he and his daughter Sonja meet for cake at least once per trimester. He teaches German and history and is very talented as a voice simulator. He is also farsighted.

Waldmann is widowed (which is not addressed in the original edition of the first volume in the series), and his daughter Sonja teaches at Rosenfels Castle.

Shooting gallery: (Real name unknown); The youngest teacher at the castle teaches geography and math. His biggest weakness is his much smiled at affection for Sonja Waldmann, his colleague's daughter.

Doctor student: Because of his subject and his preference for fast cars - he owns a sports car - he has been nicknamed "The mad Latin teacher". His usual teaching method is to pursue his second passion with his Latin class: the game of chess. Unlike most of the other teachers, he does not live in the castle, but in Wampoldsreuthe.

role: (Real name: Mr. Türk); The sports teacher at the castle got its name because of his exemplary style of high jump. (The roll jump was the preferred jumping technique at the beginning of the 1960s. The "Fosbury flop" that is common today did not appear until 1968.) By his real name, he is probably not called a "knight". He speaks fluent Scottish English and is the only teacher who plays (with bass violin) in the horror rock jazz band .

Watering can: (Real name unknown); Originally the music teacher, he was also assigned art classes because of his artistic talent. He also lives in Wampoldsreuthe and comes to the castle with an old two-stroke engine.

Mr. Seybold: Drawing teacher. Only mentioned in the 1st volume. Left school because he "had no other skills besides pencil tips".

More castle residents

Masonry saw: (Real name: Count Bodo von Schreckenstein)

The old lord of the castle, who made the south wing of his castle available to the Schreckensteiners as a school, lives in the north wing of the castle together with the butler Jean and the shepherd dog Harro (sometimes called Hasso). He still owns Rosenfels Castle and numerous lands around the Kapellsee, where Schreckenstein and Rosenfels are located.

The lord of the castle owes his nickname, which the "knights" gave him, to his large and thin nose, to which he also owes the peculiarity of constantly producing a cracking sound when speaking, which the "knights" refer to as "switching".

After some initial difficulties, the count accepted the boys as part of his family and often took part in their pranks - be it on the part of his noble authority or as a liaison with Miss Doctor Horn, who has an open weakness for him. He has a very large family that even has a branch in Scotland. Well-known representatives are u. a. Ian McHarris and Irmintraut von Rülpshorst (known as the “burp witch” among the “knights” and chickens).

Jean: (Real name: Hans or Johann); Count Schreckenstein's house servant. Since he is very careful about refinement, he used the French version of his name as a salutation. He doesn't come into contact with the “knights” that often.

Heini: As a school cook, responsible for the physical well-being of the "knights", he often has to work overtime in the kitchen because the "knights" devour a lot - every day! He was assigned to school by Dampfwalzes mother.

Paule: The only long-term "resident" on Schreckenstein is a skeleton who lives with a rusty scythe in a special cupboard in the torture chamber and only comes out if you step on a certain ledge in the floor in front of the judge's table. Although he cannot actively take part in the happenings in the castle, Paule has already done the "knights" many a service by his creepy appearance. Behind his box there is a secret door that leads to an escape tunnel (now walled up) from the castle keep to the shore of the Kappellsee.

Rosenfelserinnen ("chickens")

Beatrix: (Full name: Beatrix Lebkowitz); One of the older girls at Rosenfels Castle, and part of a prank trio that includes her friends Sophie and Ingrid. The blonde Beatrix suffers from a hot temper, which sometimes causes great difficulties. But she is also very resourceful. Because of her hairstyle, she is often referred to in the books as the curly head.

She likes to play the accordion and through this passion she made friends with Stephan. When Anke joins the line as a newcomer, Stephan begins to be more interested in her than in Beatrix, which leads Beatrix to jealousy, which is why she is temporarily not in control of her senses and intrigues in the palace and castle. Ultimately, however, her head is trimmed again and she becomes the old Beatrix again. At the end of the series, she finds her soul comforter in the steamroller.

Sophie: The most level-headed of the trio that includes her friends Beatrix and Ingrid. She is a moderating voice in the girls' prank planning. She is best known because she has a weakness for the Schreckenstein school captain Ottokar throughout the series; she even has a silver-framed photo of him on her table.

Ingrid: The quickest and cheekiest of the Rosenfels string trio with Sophie and Beatrix. She is Mücke's sister, and his likeness both in appearance and spirit.

Steamroller raves about them, but at best they only meet them with cheerful companionship. Instead, she begins to be interested in the newcomer Florian in the last volume of the series.

Amanda: The penultimate registered new student on Rosenfels. As the most beautiful girl among the chickens with dark hair and blue eyes, she initially “won” a lot of interest from the “knights”, especially from Andi and the steam roller, who become rivals for a short time, which at times severely affected their friendship with cyclists . She feels romantically drawn to Andi.

Amanda plays the flute in the school choir and is a very good swimmer.

Martina: Martina, Beni's sister, was the first to come to Schloss Rosenfels. She can do karate and judo and often takes advantage of this in pranks. Steamroller in particular, as the strongest Schreckensteiner, is pissed off when Martina lays him flat with a simple karate grip. Together with Esther and Doris, she is known as one of the three scratching brushes.

Together with her brother and his boyfriend at the time, Jerry, she ran away from their abusive father to seek help from Jerry's uncle. Since he was not present at the time, the three of them hid on Schreckenstein and were forced to keep afloat with thefts until his return. After she was caught and supported by the Schreckensteiners, she was given a place in Rosenfels. Martina's hot temper has caused problems more than once, however, which almost led to him being kicked out at the end of an adventure.

Anke: The last registered new addition to Rosenfels. She was originally a student at the Collegium Castellum, a model boarding school set up by the state, which gives young people all the freedom that they take advantage of over time. When the Schreckenstein and Rosenfels women come to the Castellum for a sports competition, Anke takes a liking to their camaraderie and especially to Ottokar and Beatrix. When the guests drive home after the games and a night of beating with the castellans, she drives impulsively as a stowaway.

Later, Anke becomes the focus of a nasty prank that the bantams have come up with, and it is only thanks to the chord work of the “knights” that she can stay on Rosenfels. After Ottokar, in whom she was interested, no longer returned her attention as friendly, she connects with Stephan, who has already shown a keen interest in her at the Castellum.

Anke has a very soft, dark voice and she is fluent in English so she does not have to attend classes in the language.

The bantams: The counterpart to the mini “knights” from the castle are the three bantams Johanna, Karin and Ilse on Rosenfels.

Other more common girls

Esther and Doris, the wildest girls - together with Martina - von Rosenfels. Their tangible nature has earned the three the title "scratch brushes".
Renate, best known for her curiosity
Bettina, Constanze and Isabell, the three most moderate girls on Rosenfels
Sabine
Eve with the sixth sense
Elke
Fides the toad, Fritz's female counterpart
“Tapeworm” Marie-Luise, an actually attractive but voracious girl

The Rosenfels Faculty

Miss Doctor Horn: (Full name: Doctor Adele Horn; from "knights" and chickens for short "FDH" or simply called "the horn")

The director of the Rosenfels boarding school plays the role of the elderly maid and conservative grumpy woman in the series. She is always ready to express her displeasure in all sorts of situations (especially when it comes to Schreckenstein). Despite her constant criticism of the Schreckensteiner school system, she secretly admires it, and despite her grumpy demeanor, she worries very much about her girls (it was even prophesied that in the distant future she might haunt Rosenfels as a ghost).

The Rex and the "Knights" know their attitude towards them and also have a lot to do against them: the Rex donkey patience, the "Knights" courtesy and mason saw, for whom Miss Horn has an open weakness. Since her nose looks similar to the Count's, she is often jokingly parodied as his sister.

Miss Doctor Horn comes from the Bergisches Land.

Sonja Waldmann: The young daughter of the Schreckenstein teacher studied singing before she came to Rosenfels as a teacher. There she is very popular with the girls because of her youth and her friendly demeanor, who often ask her for advice on pranks against the "knights". Her biggest fear, however, is that Miss Doctor Horn might throw her out.

She has a very good relationship with her father, whom she visits as often as possible, and with the “knights” Stephan and Ottokar, to whom she brings a homemade cake at least once per trimester. She is also very popular with the rest of the Schreckensteiners, and she is the constant object of attention from Schießbude, the castle's youngest teacher.

Miss Böcklmeier: The plump teacher with the always sunny disposition teaches geography and English. It is very popular with both the Rosenfels women and the "knights". She doesn’t take anything against her and is only very rarely disturbed by the pranks of the “knights”. She is a talented piano player, and whenever the opportunity arises, she plays four-handed with "Ritter" Strehlau on the piano.

Other characters

Udo, Jerry and Andreas: The “three tall men” from the Ebertschule are the greatest rivals of the Schreckensteiners, but ultimately far inferior to their opponents in their wit and cunning. Jerry himself was once Schreckensteiner, but eventually excluded himself from the community and was thrown out after a nasty prank against the "knights" (see Beni and Martina ). He now lives with his cousin Udo, whose father is a lawyer for juvenile cases and therefore lives in a mansion that is quite wealthy.

Andreas is the older brother of Jens, Florian's friend from the Franz Joseph School.

Mayor Karl Kress: He is the mayor of Wampoldsreuthe - because of his bald head he has the nickname “The leading bald man in the community” - and runs a restaurant there with an attached campsite. Often enough he has his anger with the "knights" when something goes wrong with them, but they are also good customers with him and have already done him great service in some situations.

Master carpenter Schrimpf: He is old and hard of hearing, but nonetheless a well-respected member in Wampoldsreuthe and among the "knights" (some of whom have also learned to be a carpenter from him). His eldest daughter Elfriede , an excellent cook, often helps out at receptions and meals with a wall saw.

Barber Karle Bächle: He owns the hairdressing salon in Wampoldsreuthe, which is visited by both the Schreckensteiners and the Rosenfels women. His daughter Bärbel , generally called Bäbä, is married to Udo from Neustadt.

Farmer Läptig: He is a farmer in Wampoldsreuthe. He owns numerous fields and also a piece of the forest. He is popular with the "knights" because he occasionally lends the "knights" various utensils for a prank.

places

Schreckenstein Castle

General: The castle is a boarding school-like facility. Because the old school in Neustadt had become too small at that time, Bodo von Schreckenstein offered part of his castle. The school is housed in the wings around the castle courtyard, while Count Schreckenstein lives in the wings around the Sternenhof. The only connection between the two parts of the building is the knight's hall .

Prince's garden: A symmetrically laid out garden. This is where the morning run of the "knights", as the boys call themselves, takes place.

sports ground: The sports field was laid out by the "knights" themselves and is regularly maintained. The facility is used almost every day, not least by the highly trained athletics team.

Boathouse: The boathouse holds the Schreckensteiner rowing boat fleet. Of course, the boathouse also has a jetty. This is also where Pummel and Eugen's self-built sailing boat is usually located. The maintenance of the facility and the boats is the responsibility of Wasserwart Pummel.

Lands: The castle complex also includes some fields that are cultivated by the "knights" in the "peasant service".

Rosenfels Castle

General: Rosenfels Castle is a boarding school for girls. It is located directly across from Schreckenstein Castle, on the other side of the Kappellsee. It is a two-story, pink and square building with a slim tower at each corner and a kind of atrium in the middle.

Farm buildings: Several farm buildings - a shed (wagon shed) and stables belong to Rosenfels Castle. The boys lived here for a short time because the heating in the castle was broken.

port: From the lake side, the Rosenfelser Hafen is hidden behind weeping willows. The Rosenfels rowing boats and the electric boat are located here.

garden: It is not uncommon for Miss Doctor Horn to let the girls work in the garden, not least to impress guests. This is a kitchen garden that also supplies the Rosenfels kitchen with vegetables and herbs.

Wampoldsreuthe

(Alternative spelling: Wampoldsreute (depending on the edition))

Here you will find: Karle Bächle's hairdressing salon, master carpenter Schrimpf's carpentry, Mayor Kress's campsite and inn, a stationery shop, a general store, a butcher's shop, a post office, a gas station and a church with an attached cemetery.

Neustadt

This is where the "knights" lived before they moved to the castle. There is Doctor Bender's dental practice, Elektrobedarf Fischer, Elektrobedarf Schimmerding (this shop belongs to Ottokar's parents), a library, the Franz Joseph School, the Friedrich Ebert School, a museum and the Capri ice cream parlor. The ice cream parlor was called Simoni in previous editions and was also named on the first radio play record in the 1970s. It is not known why the name was changed. The ice cream parlor belongs to Ralph's father.

More places

Other places emerge from the books: Pipplingen, Ringelbach power station, Drei Tannen (the bus stop near the castle), Krumpingen and Hizlingen (as destinations for knightly punitive marches).

reception

Despite the continued commercial success of the books, which were also the publisher's “favorite series among the tailors' books”, the work did not meet with an exclusively positive response. In the FAZ, Niklas Bender criticizes: "The focus is on the community, the individual and the case of conflict are exceptions, deviants are not welcome."

References to the series can also be found in the book trashy novel by Bodo Kirchhoff .

Single receipts

↑ Angela Stoll: Uncle Schneider becomes Pop Art artist: Publisher Franz Schneider celebrates his 75th birthday with an exhibition . Associated Press Worldstream - German, February 28, 2000.
↑ Niklas Bender: Dissenters undesirable: Rufus Beck gives the whole "Schreckenstein" school class . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . No. 267 , November 16, 2002, p. 38 .
↑ Andreas Platthaus: There are coincidences, there are none . In: FAZ.NET . July 4, 2002 ( faz.net - review).

Web links

Mauersaeges-Schreckenstein.de. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original ; accessed on February 22, 2019 . Detailed information, lists and statements, details on the requirements
Aleta-Amirée von Holzen: Knights make school: The boarding school as the ideal school in Schreckenstein Castle by Oliver Hassencamp. (PDF; 313 kB) In: kids + media. Journal for children and youth media research. 1/2012. Pp. 42-63.

[1] Angela Stoll: Uncle Schneider becomes Pop Art artist: Publisher Franz Schneider celebrates his 75th birthday with an exhibition . Associated Press Worldstream - German, February 28, 2000.

[2] Niklas Bender: Dissenters undesirable: Rufus Beck gives the whole "Schreckenstein" school class . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . No. 267 , November 16, 2002, p. 38 .

[3] Andreas Platthaus: There are coincidences, there are none . In: FAZ.NET . July 4, 2002 ( faz.net - review).