Altered figures exposed in Kika scandal
Article Title: Television Characters from Germany's WDR Find a Home in Erfurt
In the heart of Erfurt, Germany, a unique collection of television characters has found a permanent home, gifted to the city by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) broadcasting company.
The journey began in 2007 when Frank Beckmann and Andreas Bausewein conceived the idea to place figures from public broadcasting children's television in Erfurt. The first figure, Bernd, das Brot, a character from the popular series "Die Sendung mit der Maus," was placed next to the town hall in July of that year, serving as a public symbol of the initiative.
Since then, numerous donations from the citizens of Erfurt have made it possible to place more of these beloved characters around the city. In November 2017, Pittiplatsch, the little goblin, was gifted and can now be found on the town hall bridge, next to the Kramer bridge. The blue Kikaninchen, from Kika, a children's television channel based in Erfurt, is ready for cuddles behind the Kramer bridge at the playground in the Horngasse.
Other characters, such as Schnatterinchen and Moppi, audience favourites located on the open space behind the Kramer bridge, adjacent to the "Augustiner" inn, were also donated. The striped tiger duck stands in Predigerstraße behind the fish market, while the little dragon Tabaluga can be found at the Hirschgarten next to the Thuringian state chancellery.
In 2012, the "Golden Sparrow" and Rabe Rudi, with his talking suitcase, were added to the collection. The "Golden Sparrow" is not owned by Kika but by the Golden Sparrow Foundation and was donated to the city, while Rabe Rudi has been waiting at the Erfurt/Weimar airport since the same year.
Herr Fuchs and Frau Elster joined the TV favourites in 2020 and can be found standing at the water axis in front of the Theater Erfurt. The sandman can be found on a bench in Kreuzgasse behind the Kramer bridge, and Captain Blaubeer and his faithful companion Hein Bloed can be found in Gera, right in front of the castle bridge.
Lastly, the little mole is in the planning stages and is set to find its place in the town hall alley/corner fish market. Fidi, the bat, was placed not far from the visitor center on the Petersberg, although the exact year is not specified.
While the exact dates of donation for some of these characters are not available, it is clear that Erfurt has become a unique destination for fans of German children's television. Each figure serves as a reminder of the joy and imagination that these shows have brought to generations of children.
- The lifestyle in Erfurt, Germany, has been enriched with the addition of a unique collection of fashion-and-beauty and food-and-drink elements, as television characters from WDR have found a permanent home in the city.
- The home-and-garden of Erfurt now includes numerous beloved characters from German children's television, with some found at popular outdoor locations like the Hirschgarten and the open space behind the Kramer bridge.
- In the travel itinerary of fans of German children's television, Erfurt now stands as a significant destination, offering the chance to see famous characters such as Schnatterinchen, Moppi, and Bernd, das Brot, in their permanent homes around the city.
