Katzenjammer Kids
About Katzenjammer Kids
Rudolph Dirks created The Katzenjammer Kids in 1897 for the American Humorist, the famed Sunday supplement of the New York Journal. Inspired in part by “Max Und Moritz,” the famous German children’s stories of the 1860s, The Katzenjammer Kids featured the adventures of Hans and Fritz, twins and fellow warriors in the battle against any form of authority. “The Katzies” rebelled against Mama (their own mother, of course), der Captain (the shipwrecked sailor who acted as their surrogate father) and der Inspector (dreaded representative of the school authorities).
The oldest comic strip still in syndication, The Katzenjammer Kids was adapted to the stage in 1903 and inspired countless animated cartoons. The U.S. Postal Service also saluted the Katzies with a commemorative stamp.
Meet the Creator
Hy Eisman
Hy Eisman was born March 27, 1927, in Paterson, N.J. He began his career when he created a comic strip for his high school newspaper. After a brief stint in the military, Eisman worked as ghost artist for the popular Kerry Drake comic strip. He soon turned his pen to the comic-book industry, drawing for […]
Characters
Der Captain and Der Inspector
Der Captain is actually a boarder in the Katzenjammer household, and the perpetual butt of Hans and Fritz’ pranks. Der Inspector is the local truant officer, but he seldom catche...
Hans and Fritz Katzenjammer
The Katzies, as they are often called, are born troublemakers. Their neat clothes and innocent faces conceal their deep-seated ability to do mischief. These two juvenile anti-heroes we...
Mama
Apparently a widow, this stay-at-home mom tries, vainly sometimes, to turn a blind eye to her mischievous offspring’s brazen antics and blatant disregard for authority.