Janosch

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German author

title: "Janosch" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["german-children's-book-illustrators", "1931-births", "living-people", "people-from-zabrze", "people-from-the-province-of-upper-silesia", "20th-century-german-illustrators", "21st-century-german-illustrators", "german-people-of-polish-descent", "officers-crosses-of-the-order-of-merit-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany", "german-children's-writers", "german-male-writers", "writers-who-illustrated-their-own-writing", "german-animal-artists", "pseudonymous-writers", "pseudonymous-illustrators"] description: "German author" topic_path: "geography/germany" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janosch" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary German author ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox writer"]

FieldValue
nameJanosch
imageJanosch 2002-11.jpg
captionJanosch (2002)
birth_nameHorst Eckert
birth_date
birth_placeHindenburg, Weimar Republic
(now Zabrze, Poland)
occupationWriter, illustrator
nationalityGerman
genreChildren's picture books
notableworksJanoschs Traumstunde
::

| name = Janosch | image = Janosch 2002-11.jpg | imagesize = | alt = | caption = Janosch (2002) | pseudonym = | birth_name = Horst Eckert | birth_date = | birth_place = Hindenburg, Weimar Republic (now Zabrze, Poland) | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = Writer, illustrator | nationality = German | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = | period = | genre = Children's picture books | subject = | movement = | notableworks = Janoschs Traumstunde | spouse = | partner = | children = | relatives = | influences = | influenced = | awards = | signature = | signature_alt = | website = | portaldisp =

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Janoschland.jpg" caption="The place in Hindenburg at which the house of Janosch's birth used to stand (now demolished)"] ::

Janosch (, born as Horst Eckert on 11 March 1931) is a German children's author and illustrator.

Biography

Janosch was born as Horst Eckert on 11 March 1931 in what was then Hindenburg (now Zabrze, Poland) in Upper Silesia to a family of mixed German and Polish origin, though he identifies his nationality as "Silesian". His mother was a pious Catholic, and his father a violent alcoholic.

After World War II, the family fled to West Germany. In the area of Oldenburg, Janosch worked in a textile mill. In 1953, he went to Munich, where he studied for some terms at the Academy of Arts, but broke off his studies eventually. Afterwards, he worked as a freelance artist. In 1960, his first book for children was published with George Lentz, a friend of his, who also persuaded him to take on the penname Janosch.

By 1980, he had published over 100 books for children in nearly 30 languages. Amongst his most recognisable characters is the Tigerente that appears in Oh, wie schön ist Panama and the stories around the little tiger and the little bear. He has also published several books for adults, in which he deals with his childhood experiences of growing up with an abusive father and a God-fearing mother, constantly recurring topics being friendship, family relationships, and the quest for the meaning of life.

Between 1953 and 1980 the artist lived in Munich, and then relocated to the island of Tenerife, where he currently resides.

Awards

Among others, he has received the following awards:

Works

In German, Janosch published until today about 150 books which in part were translated into 30 languages.

Tigerente

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Tigerente_Filmpark_Babelsberg.JPG" caption="''Tigerente'' at the [[Babelsberg Studio"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Rzeźby_Tygryska_i_Misia_w_Zabrzu.jpg" caption="A sculpture of the Tiger, the Bear, and the ''Tigerente'' in Zabrze"] ::

The Tigerente ( tiger duck) is a children's book character created by Janosch. It is a little wooden toy duck on wheels, striped black on yellow, that is pulled around on a string by various characters of Janosch's books. It never has a line of dialogue, but still has become by far the most popular figure ever created by the author. The Tigerente has since appeared on a wide range of products including posters, postcards, high school art projects, buttons, mugs, socks, umbrellas, cutlery, and nearly every item of children's furniture imaginable. It has been the namesake and mascot of the German TV show Tigerenten Club, all without ever uttering a single line.

Adaptations

The story "Oh, wie schön ist Panama" was adapted into a contemporary opera under the title "Oh, the beautiful Panama" by Lin Wang. The opera was premiered at Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2013, and was a sold-out event.

References

References

  1. "Wyborcza.pl".
  2. Budeus-Budde, Roswitha. (11 March 2021). "Janosch wird 90: Ohne zu wissen, ob das Kunst ist".
  3. "Cult children's author Janosch turns 90 – 11.03.2021".
  4. (1 February 2016). "Alles Gute zum 90., Janosch! München feiert mit".
  5. (11 March 2021). "Der Vater der Tigerente: Janosch feiert seinen 90. Geburtstag auf Teneriffa".
  6. Haug, Katja. "Auf den Spuren Janoschs – Am 11. März wird Janosch 75 Jahre alt | Lesen in Deutschland".
  7. (11 March 2021). "Janosch zeigt mit 90 Jahren sein ganzes Talent".
  8. Philipp Zieger: ''Janosch''. In: ''[[Südkurier]]'' vom 13. Mai 2009.
  9. (28 January 2013). "Oh, wie schön war "Oh, wie schön ist Panama"".

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german-children's-book-illustrators1931-birthsliving-peoplepeople-from-zabrzepeople-from-the-province-of-upper-silesia20th-century-german-illustrators21st-century-german-illustratorsgerman-people-of-polish-descentofficers-crosses-of-the-order-of-merit-of-the-federal-republic-of-germanygerman-children's-writersgerman-male-writerswriters-who-illustrated-their-own-writinggerman-animal-artistspseudonymous-writerspseudonymous-illustrators