Der Struwwelpeter (Shock-Headed Peter), first published in 1845 by the Frankfurt physician Heinrich Hoffmann, is one of the most famous and controversial children’s books ever written. Its German-language verses tell cautionary tales of naughty children meeting grotesque fates — the thumb-sucker has his thumbs cut off, the boy who won’t eat porridge wastes away, Struwwelpeter himself is defined by his terrifying unkempt nails and hair.
Darkly funny and genuinely disturbing, Der Struwwelpeter has fascinated generations of readers, scholars, and satirists. Download this free public-domain EPUB to encounter the original German text of one of childhood literature’s most unforgettable creations.