Janosch, Creator of Tiger and Bear, Dies at 95 on Tenerife
Janosch, the German author and illustrator whose real name was Horst Eckert, died Tuesday on Tenerife at age 95, according to his Tübingen publisher Bernhard Feil, speaking on behalf of the artist's wife to the German Press Agency (dpa). Creator of "Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama" and the characters Little Tiger, Little Bear and the Tiger Duck, he wrote and illustrated more than 150 books translated into some 40 languages, with millions of copies sold. His breakthrough came in 1978, and his characters became a licensed merchandising brand. Born in 1931 in Upper Silesia, he lived on Tenerife with his wife Ines.
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Janosch, Creator of Tiger and Bear Children's Books, Dies at 95
Janosch, the German author and illustrator whose real name was Horst Eckert, died Tuesday on Tenerife at age 95, according to his publisher Bernhard Feil, speaking on behalf of the artist's wife. He wrote and illustrated more than 150 books, translated into some 40 languages with millions of copies sold. His breakthrough came in 1978 with the children's book "Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama," featuring Tiger, Bear and the Tiger Duck, which became merchandising stars. His children's works, with their simple, direct language and whimsical illustrations, contrast with adult works reflecting a harsh childhood in Upper Silesia and an abusive, strictly Catholic upbringing. Janosch said his early years were "the total destruction of my person," and his children's books served as a counter-design to that past. He lived a simple life on Tenerife with his wife Ines.
Read sourceJanosch, Beloved German Children's Author of 'Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama,' Dies at 95
German writer and illustrator Janosch, creator of 'Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama' and the characters Little Tiger, Little Bear and the Tiger Duck, has died at 95 on Tenerife. The obituary traces his life from a traumatic childhood in Hindenburg, Upper Silesia, where his father beat him and named him after Horst Wessel, to his reinvention as Janosch. It describes his early struggles — rejected by the Munich art academy, designing wallpaper patterns, writing his first book in a single night — and his rise to fame in the 1970s with his naive drawing style and clear colors. The piece frames his stories as made from longing, notes his distrust of authority and bonds, and recounts anecdotes of his mischievous, guarded personality, including hiding behind a pillar at the airport while his publisher waited.
Read sourceObituary: Janosch, Beloved German Children's Author, Dies at 95
German newspaper WELT publishes an obituary for Janosch, the pen name of Horst Eckert (1931–2026), the German children's author and illustrator famous for 'Oh, wie schön ist Panama' and the Little Bear and Little Tiger characters. The article recounts his traumatic childhood in Hindenburg, Upper Silesia, where his father, who named him after Horst Wessel, beat him with a whip while drunk. It describes how Eckert created the Janosch persona as an escape, his early struggles as a painter, his move to Munich and life around the Ammersee, his heavy drinking, and his rise to fame in the 1970s. It credits works such as 'Janosch erzählt Grimms Märchen,' 'Die Löwenreise,' and 'Post für den Tiger,' and notes the iconic Tigerente became his trademark. The piece frames his stories as products of longing and argues his children's books reveal more about him than his autobiographical novels.
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Author and illustrator Janosch dies at 95 on Tenerife
The German author and illustrator Janosch has died at the age of 95 on Tenerife, according to a report by Die Welt. Janosch was known for the children's book "Oh, wie schön ist Panama" ("Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama") and for characters including the Little Tiger, the Little Bear and the Tigerente (Tiger Duck), which delighted generations of readers. The report did not provide further details about the circumstances of his death.
Read sourceGerman Children's Author and Illustrator Janosch Dies at 95
German children's book author and illustrator Janosch died on Tuesday at the age of 95 on Tenerife, according to his Tübingen publisher Bernhard Feil, speaking on behalf of the artist's wife to the German Press Agency (dpa). Janosch, born Horst Eckert in 1931, delighted children worldwide since the 1970s with lovingly illustrated books such as "Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama." His works were translated into around 40 languages and sold millions of copies. He became a brand especially through his characters Little Tiger, Little Bear and the Tigerente (tiger duck), which were licensed and appeared on mugs, bicycles, pacifiers and more. After his books' success, Janosch retreated to the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife in the 1980s. His childhood in Upper Silesia was marked by poverty, violence and his father's alcoholism, and his stories served as a counterpoint to that difficult time. His characters resist oppression and injustice with courage and heart. He also wrote for adults, including the novel "Cholonek," and illustrated works by Marquis de Sade.
Read sourceGerman children's author and illustrator Janosch dies at 95
German children's book author and illustrator Janosch, creator of 'Oh, How Beautiful Is Panama' and the Tigerente, died Tuesday at age 95 on Tenerife, according to his Tübingen publisher Bernhard Feil, speaking on behalf of the artist's wife to the German Press Agency (dpa). Born Horst Eckert in 1931, Janosch spent much of his childhood in Upper Silesia, in what is now Poland, marked by poverty, violence and his father's alcoholism. Since the 1970s his lovingly illustrated books delighted children worldwide; his works were translated into around 40 languages with total print runs in the millions. His characters Tiger, Bear and Tigerente became a licensed brand adorning mugs, bicycles and pacifiers. After his books' success, Janosch retreated to Tenerife in the 1980s. He also wrote for adults, including the novel 'Cholonek oder der liebe Gott aus Lehm,' and penned plays and illustrated works by Marquis de Sade.
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