Christoph Biemann
Encyclopedia
Christoph Biemann is a German writer, director and producer and one of the presenters of the award-winning children's television show, Die Sendung mit der Maus
. Also known as Die Maus ("The Mouse"), it has been on the air since 1971; Biemann joined the show in 1972. He has his own production company, Delta TV, and has won numerous awards, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Though he produces many film shorts for The Mouse, he doesn't speak in or narrate any of them. He is known by a trademark green sweatshirt, which he wears on television and in public appearances.
in Mecklenburg
. He was a foreign exchange student at an American high school from 1969 to 1970 and also audited classes at Harvard University
. In 1972, while attending college at the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film (College of Television and Film) in Munich
, he started an internship at the television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk
(WDR), afterwards continuing as a freelance director. He began to work at The Mouse that same year.
From 1978 to 1988, he was employed by The Mouse and worked with Armin Maiwald
's film production company, Flash-Film directing film shorts for The Mouse. He founded his own production company, Delta TV, in 1989 and produces 65 film shorts a year for The Mouse. Initially, he was only a director for The Mouse, but began to appear on camera in 1983.
Biemann has received numerous awards for his work, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1995.
as narrator, but newer ones alternate with another female, Evi Siebert.
While making the educational film short known as Atom Mouse, the filming took a while. Biemann selected a particular sweatshirt, a green one, to wear because he had two of them and therefore wouldn't have to worry about continuity
, but could simply wear the second shirt if the first was dirty. Afterwards, the green sweatshirt became his trademark and now, he is never seen without it, either on camera or in his public appearances. He has since worn out "a good 15 sweatshirts" and keeps about 10 of them, having them specially dyed for him.
Die Sendung mit der Maus
Die Sendung mit der Maus is a highly acclaimed children's series on German television that has been called "the school of the nation". The show first aired on March 10, 1971...
. Also known as Die Maus ("The Mouse"), it has been on the air since 1971; Biemann joined the show in 1972. He has his own production company, Delta TV, and has won numerous awards, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Though he produces many film shorts for The Mouse, he doesn't speak in or narrate any of them. He is known by a trademark green sweatshirt, which he wears on television and in public appearances.
Biographical highlights
Biemann was born August 6, 1952 in LudwigslustLudwigslust
Ludwigslust is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. It was the capital of the former district of Ludwigslust, and is part of the district Ludwigslust-Parchim since September 2011.-History:...
in Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
. He was a foreign exchange student at an American high school from 1969 to 1970 and also audited classes at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In 1972, while attending college at the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film (College of Television and Film) in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, he started an internship at the television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
(WDR), afterwards continuing as a freelance director. He began to work at The Mouse that same year.
From 1978 to 1988, he was employed by The Mouse and worked with Armin Maiwald
Armin Maiwald
Armin Maiwald, born January 23, 1940 in Cologne, is a German author, television director and producer. Maiwald is one of the founders of the award-winning German children's television program, Die Sendung mit der Maus...
's film production company, Flash-Film directing film shorts for The Mouse. He founded his own production company, Delta TV, in 1989 and produces 65 film shorts a year for The Mouse. Initially, he was only a director for The Mouse, but began to appear on camera in 1983.
Biemann has received numerous awards for his work, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1995.
Christoph, the persona
In contrast to Armin Maiwald and Ralph Caspers, the other two presenters of The Mouse, Biemann's on-camera persona is a bit comical and clumsy. Though middle-aged, he relates to the young viewers on their level, as a kind of child himself and not knowing things. His character lets children say, "Look! He doesn't know everything either!" Children see him as a big brother and approachable. The idea of bringing a comic element to the show came from his daughter, then a little girl, who complained to her father that the educational segments were "frightfully boring". Biemann took the criticism to heart and determined to bring some levity to his productions. He never narrates his own film shorts, rather they are narrated by an off-camera voice, as though Biemann is the child and the off-camera voice is the adult. Older film shorts have Maiwald or Elke HeidenreichElke Heidenreich
Elke Heidenreich is a German author, TV presenter and journalist.- Life :Heidenreich studied German studies in Munich, Hamburg and Berlin. Heidenreich works as German author and wrote several books...
as narrator, but newer ones alternate with another female, Evi Siebert.
While making the educational film short known as Atom Mouse, the filming took a while. Biemann selected a particular sweatshirt, a green one, to wear because he had two of them and therefore wouldn't have to worry about continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
, but could simply wear the second shirt if the first was dirty. Afterwards, the green sweatshirt became his trademark and now, he is never seen without it, either on camera or in his public appearances. He has since worn out "a good 15 sweatshirts" and keeps about 10 of them, having them specially dyed for him.
Books
- Christoph Biemann, Christophs Experimente. Hanser, München (2003) Book of scientific experiments for children. ISBN 3-446-20339-7
External links
- Biemann's English web pages Christoph Biemann's official website