Objects of the Day: A Set of German "Kasperle" Puppets

Because a thirty-eight year old man needs more puppet heads. That’s why. Oh, you didn’t ask. Nevertheless…

Remember this vintage puppet head which I saved from a warehouse in Britain? Well, because I think things with heads should have bodies, my parents were kind enough to give him a trunk.

So, of course, I needed more. They recently gifted me with this set of 1950s-era puppets from Germany. The set is complete, but in poor shape. The heads are in superb condition, but most of their wee puppet bodies are gone and what little remains stinks to the end of time of cigarette smoke.

Is it Mr. Punch? Is it Judy? Nope. Close, but no. We have here, Punch’s German (and Austrian) cousin Kasperle (also spelled Kasperl or Kasper, depending on the region). Kasperle, like Mr. Punch, developed from the Commedia dell’Arte character of Pulcinella. Kasperle was a slightly later adaptation, coming about in the mid Nineteenth Century. He looks quite a bit like Mr. Punch, but lacks our hero’s chin and exaggerated hump. 

Kasperle, is not married. Where Mr. Punch has Judy (until he whacks her), Kasperle is a single fellow. He does have a lady friend. She’s called Gretel. Gretel differs from Judy in almost every way. Whereas Judy antagonizes Mr. Punch for the most part and, in the end, feels his wrath, Gretel is Kasperle’s good friend and companion. Together, they fight evil (the Devil specifically) and authority—working as a team to outsmart their enemies. Our Mr. Punch is more independent and, with the exception of Dog Toby and occasionally Joey the Clown, is alone in his battle. But, we don’t have a Gretel in this set.

Who do we have?

Well, of course, there’s Kasperle with his crimson cap. He a little less grotesque than Mr. Punch, and, honestly, just a bit goofy looking.

Then, we have “The Grandmother.” Kasperle lives with his grandmother. She’s the one with the lavender bonnet. The grandmother character is the voice of reason and calm. She encourages Kasperle to fight the Devil and the crocodile, and when he wins, he returns home and Grandma gives him sausages. 

We have the Wizard. I wasn’t quite sure who this character was at first since he’s just a head with a scary beard. At first, equating the set to Punch and Judy terms, I concluded he was the Doctor. But, then, after awhile—without knowing for real—that he was a wizard. As it turns out, I was correct. The Wizard is a traditional part of the Kasperle plays. He’s a character of infinite power, but only uses said power for good. He is patient and kind with Kasperle and is given to overdramatic displays. 

On the other hand (ha!), we have the Witch. The Witch is Kasperle’s enemy. She casts spells on the other characters, usually turning them into chickens. Furthermore, she seems motivated by a desire to steal the Grandmother’s cake. That’s terrible! 

And, of course, we have the Devil. He’s exactly what he seems. 

Overall, Kasperle plays seem to be more sedate than Punch and Judy plays. There’s some slapsticking here and there, but it’s not the wild free-for-all that one gets with Punchinello. These days, these puppets are mostly used to retell fairy tales.

You may wonder what will happen to these heads and their remaining bits of body. Well, they’re going to get a new life and new bodies thanks to my mother and father. The heads have been cleaned (they’re in excellent shape) and new bodies and costumes are being constructed as we speak. They’re going to be quite smart looking! I will make sure to share the finished puppets with you.