Der Schneemann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Der Schneemann |
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The snowman juggling early in the film
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| Directed by | Hans Fischerkoesen |
| Written by | Horst von Möllendorff |
| Release date(s) | February 3, 1944 |
| Running time | 13 min. |
| Country | Nazi Germany |
| Language | German |
Der Schneemann, which means The Snowman, is a short animated film from 1944. It was also known as Snowman in July or The Magic Snowman. This cartoon was made in Germany during World War II.
The story was written by a cartoonist named Horst von Möllendorff. The animation was done by Hans Fischerkoesen. The film was created in Potsdam, Germany, near the UFA film studios. It's a fun and magical story about a snowman who wants to experience summer.
Contents
The Snowman's Amazing Adventure
A Snowman Comes to Life
The film begins with snow falling on a snowman. The snow forms a heart shape on his chest. Suddenly, the snowman wakes up! He starts to play, juggling the fresh snow around him.
A dog sees the snowman and starts chasing him. The playful dog even takes a bite out of the snowman! But when the dog throws snow at him, it just fills the missing part. Soon, the dog gets bored and leaves.
Skating and Rolling
The snowman decides to go ice skating. He glides across the ice, having a great time. But then, he falls through the ice! He stumbles out, looking quite melted and small.
Luckily, he tumbles down a snowy hill. As he rolls, more snow sticks to him. This helps him reform himself, becoming a full snowman again!
A Wish for Summer
Later, the snowman falls asleep as night arrives. A sneaky rabbit tries to steal his carrot nose. But the snowman wakes up just in time and stops the rabbit.
The snowman then gets up and goes into a house. Inside, he finds a calendar. He looks at the months and sees "July." He really wants to see summer! To make sure he lasts until July, he puts himself inside a refrigerator.
Sleeping Through Spring
While the snowman sleeps soundly in the fridge, spring arrives outside. The sun shines, melting the snow. All the plants and flowers start to grow and show their beautiful colors.
The world outside changes from winter to spring and then to summer. But the snowman stays safe and cool, dreaming in the refrigerator.
Summer Fun and a Sad Goodbye
Finally, the snowman wakes up in July! His back is a bit stuck to the fridge, but he wiggles free. He adjusts the fridge's temperature and waits a moment.
He steps out of the refrigerator and looks out the window. He sees all the signs of summer: bright sunshine, green fields, and colorful flowers. He loves the summer air and smells the sweet perfume of the flowers. He even puts a pink rose in his lapel, like a fancy buttonhole. Then, he rolls around happily in the sunny fields.
As the sun's heat grows stronger, the snowman begins to melt. He starts to sing, "Da ist der Sommer meines Lebens..." which means "That's the summer of my life..." These are the only words spoken in the entire film.
The rabbit from before, who tried to steal his nose, watches sadly as the snowman melts into a puddle of water. But then, the rabbit's children jump into the snowman's hat, which is now just sitting on the ground. The rabbit picks up the snowman's carrot nose and takes a bite, remembering his snowy friend.
More Films to Explore
- Films made in Germany between 1933 and 1945
