Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
January 2020
Record “Hansel and Gretel”, 1950s
Historical Context
“Nibble, nibble, little mouse! Who is nibbling at my house?” With this question, the infamous witch from the fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel” makes her first appearance. What follows is well-known for generations: captivity, fattening of Hansel, planned cannibalism, and subsequent rescue and liberation of the siblings. Tough material for a children’s fairy tale, published by the Brothers Grimm in their first edition of “Children’s and Household Tales” in 1812. Despite such content, the fairy tale has been popular among both children and adults for over 200 years. Its success is not confined to the German-speaking world. To this day, the stories from the “Children’s and Household Tales” have been translated into more than 170 languages, with the first English partial edition following as early as 1823. By the way, in “Hansel and Gretel” it says: “Nibble, nibble, little mouse, who is nibbling at my house?”
Short biography of Emmi and Richard Voigt
Emmi and Richard Voigt marry in 1947 in Oldenburg-Ohmstede. Immediately after the end of World War II, the USA, Canada, and Australia fundamentally do not accept German immigrants. In 1948, this regulation is finally relaxed, and many Germans decide to seek their fortune overseas and leave post-war Germany. Among them is the Voigt couple, who leave Oldenburg for the USA in 1949. Despite their emigration, the contact with the old homeland never ceases. The couple regularly sends packages to their families in Germany. One of the recipients is also Emmi’s goddaughter Renate. Through this means, she receives not only urgently needed clothing but also the children’s record “Hansel and Gretel.” The fairy tale from Germany is told here in English (as indicated by the absence of an umlaut in the name of Hänsel).
Meaning of the object
In January 2020, Jacob Grimm’s birthday is celebrated for the 245th time. Together with his brother Wilhelm, he published numerous stories about good and evil, which were even declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2005. This not only shows the popularity of the fairy tales but also their internationality. Grimm’s tales can be understood anywhere in the world as they address universal themes. For instance, “Hansel and Gretel”: a story about the neglect of children – a topic not only in Germany but around the world. However, the worldwide spread of the fairy tales is also contributed to by the people who carried the stories on paper or even just orally during their emigration. Thus, the stories of the Brothers Grimm were also preserved in the USA of the 1950s – and could then “remigrate” from there back to Germany.
Do you also …
… to share an emigration or immigration story of your family and wish to hand over these along with the related objects and documents to the German Emigration Center for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau at the phone number 0471 / 90 22 0 – 0 or via email at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de
Archive: Previous Objects of the Month
Show all objectsDo You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de