Manfred Gnädinger facts for kids
Manfred Gnädinger (1936–2002), also known as Man or O Alemán (The German), was a unique German hermit and sculptor. He lived in the small village of Camelle on the Costa da Morte in Galicia, Spain. Man spent most of his time creating amazing sculptures on the beach and looking after his small garden.
In November 2002, a terrible oil spill from the ship Prestige destroyed his sculptures and harmed the natural environment where he lived. Many people in Camelle believed that Man became very sad and died because of this destruction. He became a powerful symbol of the damage caused by the oil spill.
Contents
Man's Life as a Hermit and Artist
Manfred Gnädinger, or "Man," arrived in the quiet village of Camelle in Galicia, Spain, in 1962. He came from Boehringen, a town near Lake Constance in southern Germany. No one knows much about where he was before this. When he first arrived, people described him as well-dressed and educated.
After a few years, he built a small hut on the beach right next to the Atlantic Ocean. He lived there for the next thirty years. He quickly became a local curiosity. People in the village called him O Alemán (The German) in the Galician language, which later became just "Man." He liked this name because it had a special meaning to him.
Man was tall with a long beard. He wore only a loincloth no matter the weather. He loved to swim in the ocean, even when he was over fifty years old. His hut had no electricity or running water. He was also a strict vegetarian, eating only food from the small organic garden he grew.
The Museum of the German
Man created colorful sculptures using stones, pieces of wood washed up by the sea, animal bones, and other items he found on the beach. Some people thought his art looked a bit like the work of the famous artist Gaudí.
Tourists would come to visit the outdoor museum he had made. His sculptures blended perfectly with the natural landscape. Man's only way to earn money was by asking for a small fee from visitors to his "Museum of the German." In 2002, this fee was 1 €. Man also asked visitors to draw pictures for him in small notebooks. After he passed away, more than 1,000 of these notebooks were found, containing about 200,000 drawings!
The Prestige Oil Spill Disaster
On November 13, 2002, a large oil tanker named Prestige had a huge leak during a storm off the coast of Galicia. Four days later, the ship broke in half and sank into the Atlantic Ocean.
Just a few days after the sinking, Man woke up to a terrible sight. His beautiful artwork was ruined by a massive oil spill. Tons of oil had washed up onto the beach where he lived. Most of his sculptures were completely destroyed, and the oil even reached his small house.
About a month later, Man was found dead in his hut. He had been having some health problems with his blood circulation and breathing. However, a local story grew that he died from deep sadness and sorrow after seeing his life's work destroyed by the oil spill. The authorities in Camelle arranged and paid for his funeral, and hundreds of local people attended to say goodbye.
Thousands of birds and fish also died because of the oil spill. Man's museum, which he left to the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs before his death, can still be visited in Camelle. Even after big storms in November 2010 and February 2014, the museum remained. It was restored in December 2017.
On the 10th anniversary of his death, Manfred Gnädinger's body was moved and cremated. This was one of his final wishes. A little more than five years later, on January 27, 2018, his ashes were buried in his museum, as he had wanted.
Images for kids
-
Man in July 1998
-
Sculpture by Man
See also
In Spanish: Manfred Gnädinger para niños
