Digedags

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The Digedags were from 1955 to 1975, the main hero of the GDR published comic magazine mosaic . The three goblins Dig , Dag and Digedag experienced adventures in space and time in several large series. The creator of this comic series is the illustrator Hannes Hegen (1925–2014). The booklets were designed in a large group of artists.

development

Memorial plaque for Hannes Hegen , in Berlin-Karlshorst

The first mosaic books were comics with speech bubbles. Later they went over to putting text bars under the pictures, which gave the comic prose character. Basically, the mosaic no longer contained comics, but rather picture stories. This development went back in particular to the draftsmen of the booklets and above all to the artistic director Hannes Hegen. They didn't want the speech bubbles to cover up the images. In the last series, set in the Orient, one returned to the speech bubbles, but these were no longer rounded. They stood square outside of the picture, almost instead of the missing text bars. Regardless of the speech bubbles, the image was almost without cover - except for a thin connection between the figure and its text.

The booklets were initially published quarterly, had 32 pages and cost 95 pfennigs , from 1957 the booklets appeared monthly with 24 pages at a price of 60 pfennigs. The magazine was published by Neues Leben until 1960 , after which it was transferred to Junge Welt . In November 1973, Hegen canceled his contract with the publisher as of July 1, 1975 (issue 223), although a new contract would have been possible on the condition that he only had to deliver six issues per year with 32 pages. The publisher did not accept this offer, as it was dependent on the one hand on the full high monthly profit that the mosaic generated to cross-subsidize most of the other, very loss-making children's and youth magazines, and on the other hand also on the employees involved in the mosaic production had to work to capacity accordingly. Since Hannes Hegen held the copyrights to the Digedag figures, the Digedag series with issue 223 had to be discontinued. While working on the last issues of the America series and the first issues of the Orient cycle , the new Abrafaxe series was prepared in parallel from 1974, initially by Lothar Dräger and Wolfgang Altenburger, and then from the beginning of 1975 with the help of the Mosaik collective Figures in January 1976 that replaced Digedags. Before that, issues 90 to 95 were reprinted in the second half of 1975, made possible by a licensing agreement between Hegen and the publisher, with continued numbering. This reprint was used, among other things, to test the new printing process, which involved switching from a sheet-fed offset press to a web offset press. As a result of this change, the Abrafaxe books only had 20 pages instead of the previous 24.

In the early 1990s, the Junge Welt book publisher began to reprint the Mosaik books 1 to 223 under license as limited edition reprint cassettes, of which the issues of the first volumes are now traded at high prices among collectors and are hardly available on the collector's market . Hegenbarth, who was involved in the design of the portfolios as the rights holder as well as the artist, made the original films available for printing. At the same time, the complete Digedags series was partially edited in various formats, mainly in the form of hardcover anthologies, but also republished using the original print films. This was a continuation of a tradition that had already begun with the book publication of the Runkel and America series in the 1960s and 1970s.

Individual issues of the space series were published in an enlarged format at the end of the 1990s. Since the book publisher Junge Welt was fully integrated into Tessloff Verlag at the beginning of 2006, the anthologies and reprint folders have been published by Tessloff Verlag . The entire Digedags series has been available in book form since 2007, whereby the inventor and space series have now been completely separated (in the booklets, both series were told alternately). In addition, since 1990 there has been a large number of merchandising items in the form of figures, lunch boxes, coloring and handicraft books, calendars, postcards to postage stamps, clothing and crockery with the motifs of Digedags.

In the meantime, older original issues, especially the previous copies of the Ritter-Runkelserie from No. 89 onwards and which are in good to very good condition, are sometimes sold at extremely high collector's prices. One of the estimated only 10 issues of No. 1 from 1955 in this good condition at the online auction house Ebay achieved the final proceeds of EUR 6605 in 2012.

The Contemporary History Forum Leipzig is showing a permanent exhibition on Digedags .

Issue series

Number 1-12

do not yet form an independent series, but build on each other in terms of plot. After a fairytale start in the Orient, a boat trip and an argument with pirates, the Digedags stranded on a South Sea island. There they build a circus after various adventures and go on a world tour. Booklets 3 and 5, in which animals are the protagonists, are not part of the ongoing plot.

Number 13-24

include the Römer series. The story begins at the point where issue 12 ended and continues the story of the newly founded "Circus Digedag". A hurricane transports the Digedags with their ship to ancient Rome, where they make a career as a circus operator. Even the emperor is enthusiastic about them. In doing so, they arouse the envy of the old favorites of the Caesar. They conspire and send troops to Rome. The attack can be repulsed thanks to the Digedags. Because the people justly celebrate the Digedags as victor, they now also fall out of favor with the envious emperor and are put into the Foreign Legion. With their pranks they manage to create such a mess there that the Legion falls apart and the soldiers flee to their homeland. When the Digedags now learn that the emperor has now decided to send their circus animals to the arena with gladiators, Digedag separates from his companions in order to put everything in order in Rome. Meanwhile, Dig and Dag flee to Malta with their new friend, the Germanic cook Teutobold. There they get to know the scientist Sinus Tangentus. Together they succeed in preventing the construction of a war port on Malta. After defeating a Roman fleet, a meteorite is discovered in the sky which, according to Sinus Tangentus, must fall in the Sahara. He decides to find this one and the Digedags join him.

Number 25-44

comprise the first part of the so-called space or Neos series, which is directly linked to the Roman series. The supposed meteorite turns out to be a spaceship from the planet Neos, which kidnaps Dig, Dag and Sinus Tangentus into space. On the Neos they come into conflict between the two states of this planet, the Republican Union and the Great Neonic Empire, which symbolize the contrast between socialism and capitalism . Later the Digedags accompany the spaceship captain Bhur Yham on a space expedition.

Number 51, 52, 56, 57, 61, 62, 66, 67, 72 and 73

form the second part of the space series and tell the evolutionary story of life on earth using stopovers on different planets. In parallel to the second part of the space series, ...

Numbers 45-50, 53-55, 58-60, 63-65 and 68-71

the first part of the inventor series, in which the development of the steam engine from antiquity to James Watt is told.

Number 74-89

comprise the second part of the inventor series. The Digedags accompany important inventors of the 19th century, such as Werner von Siemens and Wilhelm Bauer .

Number 90-151

include the Ritter Runkel series. They are set in the year 1284. Dig and Dag accompany the clumsy knight Runkel in search of a treasure that his father once had to leave behind in Asia Minor. Towards the end of the series, in issue 141, Digedag, who had left his companions during the Roman series, reappears. He rose to a high official post in the Empire of China.

Number 152-211

from August 1969 include the America series. They play in the years 1860/61. The Digedags work as newspaper reporters in New Orleans. A series of entanglements leads them to the Rocky Mountains, where they discover a gold mine. They want to donate the gold to free the black slaves.

Number 212-223

include the Orient series. In 1835 the Digedags help the Egyptian princess Fatima, who is held captive in Istanbul, to escape to her homeland.

Number 224-229

once again include the first episodes of the Ritter Runkel series.

Black series

The so-called Black Series refers to several issues in the America series from excess stocks for foreign-language editions. In order to still be able to use the finished print sheets that were printed except for the text, a further small edition was printed with a time lag. In order to keep the costs as low as possible, the colored initials and the magenta-colored lettering “Mosaic” were omitted and these were also printed in black. The booklets are therefore available in two versions. The booklets of America series 176 to 183 and 185 to 187 are well-known. In addition, the otherwise white mosaic lettering was also printed in black on all booklets number 105 printed for export, including the German-language ones.

Track list

Issues 1–89 (South Seas, Romans, Space and Inventor Series)

  1. On the hunt for gold
  2. At wind force 12
  3. The Bimmel-Bummelbahn
  4. In the fight against pirates
  5. Who dares Wins
  6. The tricked octopus
  7. The big explosion
  8. The raging sea mill
  9. The judgment of the Singongo
  10. The fight for the corsair's treasure
  11. The riot in the jungle
  12. The circus premiere
  13. In the vortex of the tornado
  14. The attack on the circus
  15. The ballad of poor Strupp
  16. The fateful feast
  17. The Conspiracy
  18. The attack from the air
  19. The victory celebration
  20. In the Foreign Legion
  21. The robbery in the theater
  22. The secret of the lighthouse
  23. The trip to Syracuse
  24. The fishermen's revolt
  25. The abduction into space
  26. Emergency landing on Mars
  27. The new sun
  28. Alarm in the space station
  29. Lost on the Neos
  30. The dam on the black river
  31. Company shrimp
  32. The lightning as a discoverer
  33. Digedanium - metal from the ocean floor
  34. Digedanium is a secret
  35. The big air show
  36. Hard school
  37. CB-5 machine on test bench
  38. CB-5 machine in danger
  39. A puzzling find
  40. Crime scene at Papageienstraße 12
  41. The secret laboratory in the tunnel 5
  42. Oil pirates
  43. Elephant wanted
  44. Secret files Theatrical 3 disappeared
  45. Ziolkowski shows the way
  46. Inventions not in demand
  47. No slaves for the king
  48. The silver treasure in the bear cave
  49. Silver mine "Last Hope"
  50. The last feast
  51. Under the sign of Aquarius
  52. The discovery of Lake Algae
  53. The mission of the Colonel von Ladestock
  54. In the dark grounds of the Harz Mountains
  55. The king is looking for inventors
  56. Desk ahoy!
  57. You have to have a pig
  58. The fear of the comet
  59. The argument about the Sunday wig
  60. The last voyage of the "King William"
  61. The amphibian with the glasses
  62. In the land of the dinosaurs
  63. The trip to England
  64. Adventurer
  65. As couriers for the tsarina
  66. The animal voice hunters
  67. To catch monkeys in the glacier ice
  68. The four from the slave ship
  69. The Glasgow cannon robbery
  70. Soho's sweet tooth
  71. Lord Groggy is against it
  72. The encrypted message
  73. In the distant past
  74. Every once viceroy of Peru
  75. The uprising in the Andes
  76. Pepperkorns Pagoda Festival
  77. Smuggler hunt in Knistermeckelfingen
  78. The golem is loose again
  79. Noise in the court theater
  80. Berlin stories
  81. The bet won
  82. The battle for the bathtub
  83. The Meinrath case
  84. The resourceful reporters
  85. The black whale of Fehmarnsund
  86. The Eskimo Club
  87. Lost in Trieste
  88. The Turks in Venice
  89. The Armada's treasure

Issues 90–151 (Runkel series)

  2. The tournament in Venice
  3. The floating castle
  4. Carnival on the Grand Canal
  5. The bullfight at Genoa
  6. Fire magic on the high seas
  7. As prisoners of the Pisans
  8. Captain Fiasco's defeat
  9. The winner of Villamare
  10. On the Rübenstein
  11. The secret of the ruined city
  12. Digedag in Rome
  13. Escape to the catacombs
  14. The wedding with the sea
  15. The trail leads to China
  16. Turmoil on the Mirabella
  17. The pirate castle
  18. The nine-headed dragon
  19. The liberation of the princess
  20. Chased by robbers
  21. The border strategist
  22. The mutton from Kastel Peripheria
  23. The beauty contest
  24. The Princes of Macaronia
  25. The chariot race
  26. The gold-plated crocodile
  27. The escape of the Suleika
  28. The court astrologers
  29. The arrival of the imperial bride
  30. Wedding preparations
  31. Wedding to Irene
  32. In a hopeless situation
  33. The old man from the mountain
  34. Company goddess potion
  35. The storm on the island
  36. The hacked ship
  37. The winner's cup
  38. Escape through the Dardanelles
  39. Landing in Asia Minor
  40. The last days of Neurübenstein
  41. The gold of the Rübensteiner
  42. The treasure hunt
  43. On the banks of the Euphrates
  44. Turkish honey for Basra
  45. The night in the seraglio
  46. In the Persian Gulf
  47. The muezzin and the pearl fishermen
  48. The wrong pearls
  49. The wreck of the Nearchus
  50. The fight for the desert well
  51. Shipwreck off Harmozia
  52. The golden armor
  53. The envoy from Kambaluk
  54. The invisible
  55. The prisoner in the desert castle
  56. The tavern in Paradiestal
  57. Knight Runkel's homecoming
  58. Wedding at Rübenstein Castle
  59. Dragon fight and bear hunting
  60. Knight Runkel on the wrong track
  61. The Rübensteiner Festival
  62. The storm on the cuckoo castle
  63. Knight Runkel's great hour

Issues 152–211 (America series)

  2. In America - New Orleans Mardi Gras
  3. The big challenge
  4. The start of the race
  5. The first stage
  6. The night on the sandbank
  7. Arrival in Baton Rouge
  8. The pirate island
  9. The boy with the banjo
  10. With the Mississippi pirates
  11. The legacy of the prospector
  12. The missing will
  13. The way to freedom
  14. In Kansas City
  15. In the Indian camp
  16. The fort on the Bear River
  17. Escape to the Indians
  18. At the foot of the Rocky Mountains
  19. The old prospector
  20. The revenge of the pirates
  21. The hunt for the turkey
  22. The legend of the feathered serpent
  23. Landing in Mexico
  24. Escape to the jungle
  25. The wrath of the gods
  26. The raid on the Prairie Express
  27. Gold rush in New Orleans
  28. Dangerous secrets
  29. Company "Louisiana"
  30. Riots in Turtleville
  31. The flatboat from St. Louis
  32. Incident at the Palace Hotel
  33. On the Missouri
  34. The ruler of the skies
  35. The Buffalo Springs Rodeo
  36. Surprises at the beaver river
  37. The big glass bead shop
  38. Black layout with yellow polka dots
  39. The victory with the steam organ
  40. The attack on the island
  41. Trapped in the mine
  42. The Toltec sacrifice
  43. In the valley of disappointment
  44. Arrival in Frisco
  45. The China Town pawnbroker
  46. The trip to Panama
  47. Shipwreck at Capo Diabolo
  48. The strongest man in the world
  49. The jungle train
  50. Shot trip to the Atlantic
  51. The strange Flibustier
  52. The monkey plague of San Felipe
  53. The cannons of the Bella Espagna
  54. On a pirate trip
  55. The banana miracle
  56. The ship from England
  57. The weapons store
  58. Engagement on San Felipe
  59. In the swamps of Florida
  60. Retreat through enemy territory
  61. Goodbye to Jenny

Issues 212–223 (Orient series)

  2. The coffee house for sweet rest
  3. The unfaithful treasurer
  4. The Sultan cleans up
  5. Great plans
  6. The swapped camel
  7. Flying carpets over Istanbul
  8. In the golden cage
  9. In the towers of silence
  10. The trail of beautiful Fatima
  11. Alarm in the port
  12. The big catch
  13. Fatima's homecoming

Issues 224–229 (repeat issues)

Reprints of issues 90 - 95 of the Runkel series.

People and animals

Dig, Dag and Digedag

Dig, Dag and Digedag can be clearly distinguished from one another by their appearance, but their character is sometimes almost interchangeable compared to the later Abrafaxe . Nevertheless, some characteristics unfold:

  • Dig is the most frequently depicted of the three. His body, head and nose appear spherical, his hair is black. Most of the Digedag inventions come from him. He seems rational and disciplined, occasionally anticipating the feeding attacks of his black-haired successor Califax. Dig can hypnotize.
  • Dag is blond, his head is pear-shaped. In character he is the least profiled of the Digedags. Characteristics such as impulsiveness, helpfulness, and eyesight appear in some episodes.
  • Digedag can be recognized by its red hair and elongated head. It was removed from the series from issue 21 and is literally blooming when it appears again. He sets the tone and his daring sometimes turns into recklessness.

What the Digedags have in common is standing up for justice and solidarity with the “little people”. The fact that the lines of the characters have been refined over the years can be seen in the three main characters. From the Ritter-Runkel series, but especially from the America series, they appear more curved and youthful.

South Seas series

  • Arakulk , chief of a South Sea people, on whose island the Digedags were stranded.
  • Babuk , selfish sailor who is supposed to train the Digedags to be cabin boys.
  • Iffi and Fiep , ship mice who make friends with the Digedags.
  • Nero , the faithful lion of the Digedags, initially wants to eat Digedag because it disturbs his sleep, but after Dig has hypnotized him, he becomes a tame pet and accompanies the Digedags to Rome.
  • Salang and Bakuku , natives.

Romans series

  • Alfio , son of a Maltese fisherman and slave of the manufacturer Schamponius. Lover of Olivia.
  • Caesar Celsius , incompetent Roman fantasy emperor.
  • Columbine , yodelling cow of the Digedags.
  • Julius Gallus , ringmaster of Rome and one of the opponents of the Digedags.
  • Olivia , daughter of the manufacturer Schamponius and bride of Alfio, whom she follows to Malta.
  • General Panopticus , incompetent general of the Roman Foreign Legion, is only called General Quasi by his subordinates , because he always uses the word "quasi" on his lips.
  • Sinus Tangentus , Roman researcher and scientist, accompanies the Digedags up to the Neos.
  • Strupp , leader of the Roman street dogs.
  • Teutobold , Germanic cook and friend of the Digedags, flees with them from the Foreign Legion and accompanies them to Malta.
  • Rostus Clamottus , Roman scrap dealer.

Space series

  • Balduin Brummer , neon animal sound hunter, takes part in a space expedition.
  • Mr. Enterich , assistant in the patent office on the Neos.
  • Mac Gips , agent of the Great Neonic Empire and one of the opponents of the Digedags in space.
  • Eusebius Knaller , neonic big game hunter, is taking part in a space expedition.
  • Dr. Knilch , neon scientist, wants to claim the discovery of Digedanium after being incited by his wife .
  • Mrs. Knilch , ambitious wife of Dr. Knilch, she is doing everything possible to prevent the Digedags from discovering the machinations of her husband.
  • Dr. Meise , a neon psychiatrist, is taking part in a space expedition.
  • Nine scout , incompetent private investigator.
  • Quintilius Quick , neon film director with a penchant for drama and old jokes.
  • Prof. Schlick , neonic deep sea researcher, discoverer of the Digedanium metal from sea mud
  • Prof. Schluck , neonic deep-sea researcher.
  • Dr. Schluck , neon aircraft designer, twin brother of Prof. Schluck, is often confused with this one.
  • Ehrenfried Stopfer , neon taxidermist, takes part in a space expedition.
  • Udo Swamp , neon scientist, is taking part in a space expedition.
  • Tonio Turbo , neon test pilot.
  • Mr Tuscher , neon draftsman and painter, is taking part in a space expedition.
  • Peer Tyla , neonic spaceship commander, spies for the great neonic empire.
  • Bhur Yham , neon starship commander.

Inventor series

  • Pyotr Alexejewitsch , the tsarina's courier, the Digedags accompany him through Siberia.
  • Wilhelm Bauer , inventor of the submarine Brandtaucher .
  • August Borsig , Berlin locomotive builder.
  • Otto von Guericke , physicist and inventor, mayor of Magdeburg, travels with the Digedags to the Kaiser in Regensburg.
  • Heron , inventor of the aeolipile ( Heron's ball).
  • Ktesibios , inventor of a pipe kettle.
  • Kuno , former Rottenmeister of the Digedags, betrays them constantly.
  • Colonel Meinrath , incompetent Austrian spy, opponent of Major von Treskow.
  • Monopolos , villainous plumber in Alexandria, who steals other people's inventions and presents them as his own.
  • Thomas Newcomen , English blacksmith and inventor of a steam engine.
  • Denis Papin , inventor of the pressure cooker.
  • Mijnheer Pepperkorn , bankrupt trader in Rotterdam, who accompanies the Digedags to Nuremberg.
  • August Pickel , inventor of the Pickelhaube in the mosaic .
  • Thomas Savery , English inventor of a steam pump.
  • Major Eitel Egbert von Treskow , Prussian officer and defense chief, opponent of Colonel Meinrath.
  • James Watt , English inventor of a steam engine.
  • Konstantin Ziolkowski , Russian space pioneer.

Runkel series

  • Adelaide von Möhrenfeld , Runkel's sweetheart, because of her the knight moves to the Orient.
  • Ajas Seifin Behaeddin , Sheikh of Ormuz, forbids the private possession of pearls.
  • Aktivos Diplomatos , envoy of the Emperor of Byzantium, who is supposed to find a wife for the Emperor of Byzantium and who chooses Suleika.
  • Alexander the Great , Macedonian king and conqueror, whose golden armor successfully ends Runkel's treasure hunt.
  • Alter Möhrenfelder , father of Adelaide von Möhrenfeld and friend of Kunibert von Rübenstein.
  • Anvil , journeyman blacksmith in Constantinople and follower of the “blue ones ”.
  • Andronikos II , the inflated emperor of the Byzantine Empire, with whom Suleika is to be forcibly married. The Digedags and Runkel prevent this and should be beheaded for it. But they are "pardoned" for service in the Byzantine army and successfully sabotage the punitive expedition against the freedom-loving island of Pordoselene. Andronikos' representation in the mosaic is quite clichéd and does not correspond to historical truth.
  • Anselmo , adventurer and, together with Tebaldo, soldier of fortune in Constantinople.
  • Arenus Rundus , knight Janos as the supposedly best charioteer from Macaronia invented by the Digedags.
  • Bakbak , Bekbek and Bukbuk , incompetent alchemists, accompany the Digedags from Basra to Ormuz.
  • Baldwin I (Latin Empire) , Emperor of Constantinople at the time of Digedag's visit.
  • Ben Fawzi , host of the “tavern in Paradise Valley” and friend of the Serdar for plundering unsuspecting desert travelers.
  • Cavaliere Carlo di Carotti , the opponent of the Digedags and Knight Runkels in Venice.
  • Caesar , loyal Reithammel Digedags during the migration period when visiting Peripheria around the year 519.
  • Choir of flatterers , hymn singers at the imperial court in Constantinople to spread good humor.
  • Don Cavallo di Zosso , driver of the chariot race in Constantinople with Digedag, was dishonored by Hottos Kapottos.
  • Eisenbeiß , servant of Count Kuckucksberg.
  • Eulalia and Euphrosine , daughters of the Mayor of Peripheria at the beauty contest to find the bride of the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Flibusteri , the Genoese squadron commodore in Constantinople.
  • General Barras , member of the Imperial General Staff in Constantinople.
  • General Etappos , member of the Imperial General Staff in Constantinople.
  • General Capitulante , member of the Imperial General Staff in Constantinople.
  • General Catastropholos , member of the Imperial General Staff in Constantinople.
  • General Kommissos , conqueror (with significant help from Digedag) of the old man from the mountains, the head of the assassins.
  • General Parados , military with Emperor Baldwin I in Constantinople.
  • General Schikanos , military with Emperor Baldwin I in Constantinople.
  • Count Kuck von Kuckucksberg , Runkel's opponent in Germany, competitor for the favor of Adelaide von Möhrenfeld, later robber baron.
  • Count Willibald , great-grandfather of the Kuckucksberger and brought in by the devil while playing dice.
  • Hamid , pearl fisherman and fellow exile of the Digedags on diving a whole boatload of oyster pearls for the Sheikh of Ormuz.
  • Hassan , called the old man from the mountains, head of the assassins in the wild mountains of Kurdistan.
  • Heino Runkel von Rübenstein , the longtime companion of the Digedags (main article: Ritter Runkel ) .
  • Duke Eberhard the Obese von Schnorrershausen , sovereign prince to whom the Kuckucksberger, Möhrenfelder and Rübensteiner are subordinate; appoints knight Runkel as Count von Rübenstein, the Digedags as knights and sends the Kuckucksberger into exile after being imprisoned abroad.
  • Hocus and pocus , Dag and Dig as disguised court astrologers for the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Holofernes , dog of the gardener Narcissus in Constantinople.
  • Horos Kopos , court astrologist at the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Hottos Kapottos , driver of the chariot race in Constantinople and opponent of Digedag.
  • Illusionos , juggler & hypnotist in the market of Constantinople.
  • Irene of Thessalonia , future bride of the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Janos Koloda , a Serbian knight, fiance of Suleika.
  • Justinian I , emperor and author of the racing regulations of October 31, 551.
  • Captain fiasco , incompetent Pisan galley captain .
  • Captain Kombyses , captain of the ship "Hercules" of the imperial fleet and converted into a hotel.
  • Kastor and Kleo , siblings and fishermen from Pordoselene, receive the Digedags warning of the impending attack.
  • Klexos Graphos , clerk of the Peripheria fort during the Migration Period when visiting Digedag around the year 519.
  • Knastos , chief jailer in Constantinople.
  • Krachos Karambolages , driver of the chariot race in Constantinople of the "blue" party.
  • Kunibert von Rübenstein , father of the knight Runkel, constantly dreams of glorious old times and wants his son to look for a treasure of gold he has buried in the Orient.
  • Kuno , good riding donkey from Digedag on his visit to Neurübenstein Castle in Asia Minor.
  • Kurvos Rasantes , driver of the chariot race in Constantinople of the "green" party.
  • Letscho von Brühistan , prince and chosen consort of Princess Terrina of Macaronia.
  • Lydia , daughter of the mayor of the island of Pordoselene.
  • Mogeleios , court referee at the chariot race in Constantinople.
  • Musa ibn Abdalla , a pearl thief disguised as a muezzin.
  • Mutawakkel , the Byzantine emperor's favorite lazy crocodile and a gift from the Mameluke sultan. After winning a faked chariot race, Runkel is appointed to look after it as the Oberhof crocodile keeper.
  • Nafi ibn Asra , overseer of the Sheikh of Ormuz.
  • Narcissus , gardener of the imperial front gardens at the court of Constantinople.
  • Nearchus , Admiral Alexander the Great and naval commander retreating from the India-Persia campaign.
  • Upper court curtain puller , master of ceremonies with the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Ökonomos , farmer and cousin of the fisherman in Constantinople, where Suleika, who was chosen as an imperial bride and kidnapped by the Digedags, is brought to safety.
  • Peter Silius , Chancellor of the Digedags Virtual Court as the Princes of Macaronia.
  • Pollux , dog from the court astrologer to the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Prince of Macaronia , disguised by Dig & Dag at the court of the Emperor of Constantinople.
  • Runkelius Rübensteinius , Knight Runkel as the alleged assistant of Arenus Rundus from Macaronia invented by the Digedags.
  • Charlatanius , Burgalchimist on the Rübenstein.
  • Snap , servant of Count Kuckucksberg.
  • Sebak , according to the Mameluke Sultan alleged crocodile god of the pharaohs, from whom Mutawakkel descends in a straight line.
  • Socrates , the vengeful parrot of the Pisan galley captain's fiasco and Runkel's animal intimate enemy.
  • Spaghetti from Nudelonia , Prince and Princess Princess Terrina of Macaronia.
  • Stupides Militarios , Strategos, fortress commander of the Peripheria fort during the migration period when visiting Digedag around the year 519.
  • Suleika , an oriental princess who is held captive by the devil brothers. Knight Runkel and the Digedags free them and accompany them to their homeland.
  • Supponius the 22nd and 23rd , king and prince of the virtual court of the Digedags as the princes of Macaronia.
  • Tebaldo , adventurer and, together with Anselmo, soldier of fortune in Constantinople.
  • Terrina , princess of the Digedags virtual court as the Princes of Macaronies.
  • Devil Brothers , a gang of pirates who are after a ransom for Suleika. Known by name members of the gang are the leader Bogumil , Achmed , grappling hook-Ali , octopus tooth and tiger shark .
  • Türkenschreck , the loyal but already aged warhorse of knight Runkel.
  • Wrunkl , according to Runkel, his progenitor, the beet spirit of the old Cherusci.
  • Zellos Karzeros , jailer of the Peripheria fort at the time of the Great Migration , visiting Digedag around the year 519.

America series

  • Samuel Baxter , captain of the luxury liner Louisiana and competitor of Jonathan Joker, nephew of Victoria Jefferson.
  • Ben , slave boy whom the Digedags are helping to escape.
  • Captain Blubber , former captain of a whaler who has lived in San Francisco for many years. The Digedags were able to flee San Francisco with his old ship, but did not reach their destination because the ship ran into a reef.
  • Dan Botcher , inventor, aims high with his aircraft.
  • Bud Brandy , drinking nonsense in New Orleans and blackening Ben's.
  • Captain Clever , officer of the Northern Intelligence Service.
  • Coffins , alleged preacher, leader of the Mississippi pirates and main opponent of the Digedags. Tries unsuccessfully to steal their gold mine from the Digedags and is killed when they try to blow it up.
  • Flapdoodle , false lord, wants to save his cotton mill by smuggling weapons.
  • Abe Gunstick , old prospector who wants to take revenge on his adversary Jefferson with a forged will and thus lures the Digedags to the Rocky Mountains.
  • Jack and Doc Tombstone , the two cronies of Coffins, they are often betrayed by Coffins, but Coffins always uses tricks to draw them to his side.
  • Victoria Jefferson , b. Miller, a wealthy New Orleans widow, opponent of Digedags in the America series. Aunt of Samuel Baxter.
  • Jeremias Joker , plantation owner who is initially mistaken for a pirate by the Digedags. As it turns out later, he helps escaped slaves to get to freedom. This is done by the so-called slave express, which is also actively supported by the Digedags.
  • Jenny Joker , daughter of Jeremias Joker. She loves Bob, the son of the plantation owner Morris, who doesn't always agree with her father.
  • Jonathan Joker , brother of Jeremias Joker and captain of the derelict paddle steamer Mississippi Queen .
  • Joshua Jefferson , who once stole Abe Gunstick's gold, became a shipowner in New Orleans and married the former opera singer Victoria Miller. Victoria Jefferson was widowed in the act.
  • Captain Kidd , Mrs. Jefferson's parrot.
  • General Knocker , former general and southern patriot, is after the Digedags' gold secret.
  • Lobby , government representative from Washington, tries to snatch the secret of the gold from the Digedags in order to deliver it to the southern states.
  • Bob Morris , fiancé of Jenny Joker, although a southerner, he thinks to the north.
  • Pedro , strongest man in the world, who is defeated by Dig using hypnosis. After restoring his strength, he becomes a friend of the Digedags.
  • Major Pinkerton , initially in command of a fort on the prairie, later transferred to a small base in the Rocky Mountains for incapacity. Initially, he colludes with Mrs. Jefferson (after being pressured by Colonel Springfield), but later joins the Digedags after the Army finally suspends him from duty.
  • William Potter , owner and editor of New Orleans Magazine , head of Digedags.
  • Rote Cloud , helpful chief and friend of the Digedags.
  • Roy Ross , notorious horse thief in Turtleville, sits in a seat playing poker with the sheriff.
  • Captain Smoky , owner of a launch on the Missouri River. He later joins the Digedags.
  • Lieutenant Sniffler , officer in the Northern intelligence service.
  • Colonel Horatio Springfield , an officer well connected in Washington, DC, best friend of Mrs. Jefferson and a competitor of Major Pinkerton, they went to war school together and cannot agree on who is the better in command.
  • Isabella di Tornado , daughter of Don Manuel di Tornados, marries Pedro, the strongest man in the world.
  • Don Manuel de Tornados , quirky governor of a Spanish Antilles island who, with his unsuitable, peace-loving subjects, wants to revive the Flibustier and make the Caribbean unsafe.

Orient series

  • Achmed , Ibrahim and Omar , guardsmen of the Sultan in Istanbul.
  • Ambroise Freluquet , French balloonist.
  • Fatima , kidnapped daughter of a Bedouin prince, is freed from the Digedags.
  • Habakuk , Digedags camel, can dance.
  • Mahmud II , Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, is being robbed from all sides and is desperately trying to get more money.
  • Mustafa al Mansur , treasurer of the Sultan, owns the slave Fatima and tries to prevent her liberation.
  • Sadi , potter and friend of the Digedags in Istanbul, helps Fatima to escape.
  • Zurga , slave trader and friend of the treasurer, responsible for the kidnapping of Fatima.

Lexicon, films and videos

Films and videos were produced based on the templates:

  • Dig, Dag and Ritter Runkel (Ostfilm, 1994), pilot film for a planned but unrealized Digedags cartoon
  • The Digedags in the distant past ( Junge Welt , 1999), VHS produced by the book publisher Junge Welt

In addition, Pfeiffer wrote the Digedag universe , a large-format, richly illustrated encyclopedia from the Junge Welt publishing house, all about Hannes Hegen's mosaic and the Digedags. The lexicon is structured in several subject areas, under which the keywords are arranged alphabetically: inventions, vehicles, aircraft, locations, machines, minerals, people, ships, food, criminal records and animals. In some cases the lexicon offers information that goes beyond what can already be found in the booklets themselves.

Mosaic abroad

In addition to the issues for the GDR and the booklets printed on better paper for the West German and Austrian markets, the mosaic was also temporarily sold in other countries:

  • Albania: Mozaik
  • Belgium and the Netherlands: Dig en Dag op Stap
  • Finland: Mosaiikki
  • Yugoslavia: Mozaik
  • Hungary: Mozaik
  • probably United States: Mosaic

The Digedags on the theater stage

The director for music theater Martin Verges from Berlin is the only playwright to have received permission from Hannes Hegen , the "father" of the mosaic , to bring the Digedags to the theater stage. The first piece "Ritter Runkel and the Digedags" (a spectacle with music based on the mosaic by Hannes Hegen, music: Walter Thomas Heyn ) premiered in Berlin in 2000. It was also performed in Rheinsberg (2001), Borna (2002), Harzer Bergtheater Thale (2003) and on the open-air stage Weissensee (2005).

Martin Verges' second mosaic production, “Ritter Runkels große Hour” (a musical based on the mosaic by Hannes Hegen, music: Karsten Wolf ) was very successful on stage in Bautzen in 2003 with almost 37,000 spectators. The Tessloff Verlag documented this performance on a DVD for posterity in 2006 (without ISBN or similar - the DVD has the entry “DOCdata Germany TESS 080806 L5” on the silver side on the ring hole).

The piece was also shown in Senftenberg, Schwedt, Annaberg-Buchholz and Plauen / Zwickau.

For the performances in Schwedt / Oder in 2004 and 2005 there was a musically different stage version (music: Arnold Fritzsch ).

literature

  • Thomas Kramer : The Mosaic Fan Book. The first 89 issues of the "Mosaic by Hannes Hegen" . Dietz Verlag, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-320-01811-6 .
  • Thomas Kramer: The Mosaic Fan Book. Part 2. Issues 90 to 223 of the "Mosaic by Hannes Hegen" as well as unpublished text templates . Dietz , Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-320-01848-5 .
  • Thomas Kramer : Micky, Marx and Manitu Contemporary and cultural history as reflected in a GDR comic 1955–1990; “Mosaic” as a focus of media experiences in NS and in the GDR . Weidler, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-89693-195-4 (Dissertation University of Leipzig 1989, 405 pages).
  • Reinhard Pfeiffer : Digedag universe . Book publisher Junge Welt, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-7302-1001-7 .
  • Petra Kock: The mosaic by Hannes Hegen. Origin and characteristics of an East German picture story . Logos-Verlag, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-89722-115-2 .
  • Jean Auquier: Mosaic by Hannes Hegen - Adventure cosmos of knowledge. The comic from East Berlin. With illustrations from the first 100 issues . Catalog for the exhibition from November 25, 2007 to January 27, 2008 in the historical orphanage of the Frankesche Stiftungen in Halle. Francke Foundations, Halle (Saale) 2007, ISBN 978-3-939922-01-8 .
  • Matthias Friske : The story of the mosaic by Hannes Hegen. A comic legend in the GDR . 3rd revised and supplemented edition. Lukas, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-86732-067-2 .
  • Mark Lehmstedt: The secret history of the Digedags. The publication and censorship history of the "Mosaik" by Hannes Hegen (1955–1975) . Lehmstedt, Leipzig 2010, ISBN 978-3-937146-99-7 .
  • Reiner Grünberg, Michael Hebestreit: MOSAIK-Handbuch. The world of Digedags . Lehmstedt, Leipzig 2012, ISBN 978-3-942473-22-4 .

See also

proof

  1. ↑ Bernd Lindner: The three lives of the draftsman Johannes Hegenbarth . Tessloff Verlag, Nuremberg 2017, ISBN 978-3-7302-2021-4 , p. 235 u. 242 .
  2. ↑ see list of all Digedags anthologies

Web links