Unwise in Knirpsenland
Nimmerklug im Knirpsenland ( ISBN 3-928885-37-5 ) ( Russian Приключения Незнайки и его друзей ) is a children's book by the Soviet author Nikolai Nossow . It was first published in 1954 by Detgis , a Moscow publishing house . It was later translated into several languages, making it an international success.
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At the center of the story is the little boy Nimmerklug . Tots live in Wonderland and are about the size of pickling cucumbers. Nimmerklug lives in the city of flowers, a place that lives up to its name. Here the little ones lived in harmony with nature. Unwise is a restless character who doesn't know what to do with himself. He tries his hand at various professions, but nowhere does he fit in. Unwise is not stupid, but naive and unsteady. Tots and tots have some problems with each other and often can't stand each other. Above all, Nimmerklug doesn't like female tots and is very angry when his best friend Joppe befriends a toddler line.
A special experience for the little ones will be an excursion with the hot air balloon, which was invented by Knirpserich Immerklug . With this, the two and a few other tots - Brummer, Nudeldick, Maria, Saftschleck, Doktor Rizinus, Bums, Rennefix, Schnurz, Pipe, Farbklecks, Schnellschnell, screw pin, violin stroke and the dog Bimmel - set off on a journey through the Knirpsenland. However, an accident occurs. After Nimmerklug wakes up after the crash, he finds himself in a room in Grünstadt. To his horror, he only meets Knirpselinen here. Slowly, however, he begins to respect Knirpselinen and even falls a little in love with a girl named Blauäuglein . Things get complicated when Unwise claims to be the inventor of the balloon. During a visit to the hospital, he finds his fellow adventurers. All but Always Smart. He sees to it that they are released, but they have to tell the people of Grünstadt that they are their leader and the inventor of the balloon.
Everyone experiences different adventures in and around the city and learns new things. Always wise was found in the neighboring city of Drachenstadt, in which only tots lived. When they meet, it turns out that Nimmerklug only boasted and lied. Of course, the women from Grünstadt were disappointed. But Unwise had learned from the whole thing. After everyone left Grünstadt with a heavy heart, he wanted to reconcile with his friend Joppe. At least he now knew that little toddlers could be good friends.
To the book
The book is easy to understand for toddlers, but can also cast a spell over adult readers. What is striking is the simplicity of the story, which, however, has a very moralizing effect. Even if not with a raised index finger, it is made very clear to the reader what kind of society the author has in mind: the society in which everyone is equal is strongly reminiscent of an ideal, utopian, communist society. Money is unknown, only performance counts. The belief in progress is unmistakable, machines are there to relieve people of physical work and to maximize profits, not to increase profits.