Die Sendung mit der Maus
| Die Sendung mit der Maus | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's television |
| Created by |
|
| Presented by |
|
| Theme music composer | Hans Posegga |
| Country of origin | West Germany (1971-1990); Germany (1990-present) |
| Original language | German |
| No. of episodes | 2122+ (July 2018) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 min. |
| Production companies | WDR, RBB, SR, SWR |
| Original release | |
| Network | Das Erste |
| Release | 7 March 1971 – present |
Die Sendung mit der Maus (The Show with the Mouse), often Die Maus (The Mouse), is a German children's television series, popular nationwide and across all ages for its educational content. The show first aired on 7 March 1971.
Originally called Lach- und Sachgeschichten für Fernsehanfänger, it was controversial because West German law prohibited television for children under six years of age. Today, the show is beloved and easily recognized among Germans for its theme, its mascots and the introduction as "Lach- und Sachgeschichten" (Funny and Documentary Stories).
The program was initially condemned by teachers and childcare professionals as bad for children's development, but is now hailed for its ability to convey information to children, having received over 75 awards. On 7 March 1999 the program's Internet site was launched and received 2,400 e-mails and 4 million hits on the first day.