James Crews - the most famous and most titled children's writer Germany in the 20th century. His full name is James Jacob Heinrich Crews. The future writer was born on May 31, 1926 on the small rocky island of Helgoland, located off the coast of Germany. The majority of the island's population is Frisian, so all its inhabitants are bilingual and speak German and Frisian.

James became the first-born in a large family of electrician Ludwig Crews and Margaret, née Friedrichs. In those years, about 1 thousand people lived on the island and most of them were relatives. Both of the boy's grandfathers, his uncles and other relatives made their living by fishing. So James was originally closely connected with the cold North Sea.

The fascist authorities intended to establish a main base on Heligoland navy. It is not surprising that with the outbreak of World War II the island became a target special attention from the British. In 1941, a powerful bomb exploded directly next to the Crews' house. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but when the authorities asked the island residents to evacuate, the family immediately agreed. First, the Kruses were taken to Thuringia, then transported to Lower Saxony. James graduated from high school there in 1943.

The young man decided to become a school teacher and entered the pedagogical school in Luneburg. In August 1944, he was mobilized and sent to serve in the Luftwaffe. Crews trained in the Czech Republic. There he met the end of the war, without having managed to make a single combat mission.

Since the British bombed Heligoland to the ground and refused to return it to the Germans, the parents of the future writer settled in Lower Saxony, in the city of Cuxhaven. This territory was part of the American zone of occupation. After a short captivity, James returned to his family.

Crews completed his studies in Lüneburg, but never became a teacher. Initially, the young man organized a magazine for the disadvantaged residents of Heligoland, but went broke and moved to live in a village near Munich. In 1950, Crews accidentally met the writer Erich Köstner, a famous storyteller, and with his blessing decided to become a children's writer.

Kästner helped his ward get a job on the radio. James began with poems, stories and plays, which were a success with listeners. Other radio stations became interested in Crews' writings. European countries, everyone there liked them too. His name became famous.

And in 1953, the writer’s first children’s book, “Hanselman Travels Around the World,” was published.

All his life, Crews collaborated with one publishing house - the Hamburg Friedrich Ettinger. There, in 1962, the writer’s most famous fairy tale, “Tim Thaler, or Sold Laughter,” was published. In his work, the author combined, transferred to contemporary Germany and made childish the main ideas of two classical works German literature– “Faust” by V.A. Goethe and " Amazing story Peter Schlemil" A. Chamisso. Faust sold his soul to the devil, Schlemel sold his shadow, Tim Thaler sold his laughter. Crews often said that he became a writer because he loved to have fun. Laughter was for him the highest value of life. The success of the story forced the author to write its sequel, “Tim Thaler's Dolls,” but this work was not a resounding success.

Crews was literally showered with literary prizes and large fees, which allowed him to buy a house in the Canary Islands, in the settlement of La Calzada, in 1965. He lived there with a friend for more than 30 years. Crews has never married.

In 1968, news came that James Crews had been awarded the most honorable award for children's writers - the Hans Christian Andersen Gold Medal. He was awarded for a collection of numerous works for children of different genres and themes.

Back in March 1952, the British gave the long-suffering island of Heligoland to Germany, having previously carried out the most powerful non-nuclear explosion there in the history of mankind. The indigenous people returned to their homeland, restored their homes, and established their normal lives. It is not surprising that the writer celebrated his 50th birthday in 1976 on the island, among his numerous relatives.

By the late 1980s, Crews became seriously ill. In 1989, he underwent two heart surgeries, and then was forced to periodically undergo examinations in American clinics.

James Jacob Heinrich Crews died on August 2, 1997 at his home in the Canary Islands. According to the will, his remains were transported to his homeland and on September 27 of the same year they were lowered into the waters North Sea near Heligoland. Crews became the most famous resident of the island; now his personal museum operates there.

TIM THALER

I. Tumanovskaya. Sold laughter. A fairy tale play in two acts for puppet theaters.

German poet and prose writer James Crews was born on May 31, 1926 on the island of Heligoland in the family of an electrician, the eldest son in a large family. In 1941, when the war came close to the island, the family was evacuated to the mainland; Crews would return to Heligoland only in 1961.

Since the late summer of 1944, Crews has been drafted into the German army and serves in military aviation. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, he goes to Hamburg.

From 1946 to 1948, he studied at the Lüneburg Pedagogical School, but did not work in his specialty, but began to try his hand at literature.

The German prose writer Erich Kästner, whom he met in 1950, actively influenced Crews’ development as a writer; in particular, he convinced Crews to write for children.

Since 1951, Crews has written extensively for various radio stations and magazines. In 1953, the first picture book, Hanselmann Travels Around the World, appeared.

Crews created several dozen books of poetry and prose, including the story “My Great-Grandfather and Me” (1959), awarded the “German Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature” for 1960, “When I Became King” (1961), “My great-grandfather, heroes and me" (1967), as well as lyrics, radio plays, television scripts, translated a lot into German from various languages. But his most famous work is the story “Tim Thaler, or Sold Laughter” (1962). In this adventurous fairy tale for teenagers, the author uses schemes borrowed from various classical works, for example, from Goethe's Faust. The richness of mythological motifs and literary allusions, despite all its organic nature, makes this story a classic of 20th-century literature, equally interesting to both children and adults.

In 1968, Crews was awarded a medal G.H. Andersen for his contribution to world literature for children. He summarized his literary views in the book “Naivety and Understanding of Art. Thoughts on children's literature" (1969).

James Crews died on August 2, 1997 in the Grand Canaries, where he had lived since 1966. He was buried in Heligoland.

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 Passing through the years

James Crews is one of the most popular children's writers of the last century. He did not create many works. But those that saw the light were read and re-read by children from different countries.

early years

James Crews was born in Germany. His father made a living by being an electrician. The peaceful existence on the island of Helgolan was interrupted when the war began. The family had to leave their native land and move to the mainland. Crews was able to see his beloved island again only in the early 60s.

In 1944, James Crews graduated from school. At that time he was eighteen years old, so he was drafted into the army. But he never had the chance to become part of the fighting army. He, being a kind and gentle man, was very happy about this. After the end of the war, the future writer moved to Hamburg. There he decided to get a higher education.

Thinking about his future career, Crews could not find anything better than becoming a teacher. Although he received an education, he never had the opportunity to work with children. And the reason for this was his acquaintance with the writer. He suggested that James try his hand at writing stories for children. The man was very fascinated by this idea.

James Crews lived an unusual youth. A biography for children may seem like an exciting new story. Crews later transferred some experience from his life into his works.

Creative path

My creative career the writer began in 1951. Since then, James Crews has been recognized as a writer of stories for children. But he was not yet known to that many people. to a wide circle of people. He published a lot in newspapers, wrote scripts and radio plays. Along the way, he also translated other writers into German. Thanks to him, children from his native country met Serbian, Russian, Croatian and some other writers.

All this prepared Crews to create his own immortal work. His first book was published in 1953. It was called "Hanselmann Travels Around the World." But James Crews got a taste of real fame after the release of the book “Tim Tuller, or Sold Laughter.”

The writer created not only stories for children. He was also interested in poetry. Crews composed individual works as well as important poetic additions to his prose works. He spent his whole life working on stories for children.

Crews died in 1997 in Spain. But he was buried on his native island. Unusual and very talented person there was James Crews. The writer's biography looks like an unusual novel with sharp plot twists. But all this time he remained true to himself.

"Tim Tuller, or Sold Laughter"

This story is about a boy who... early years learned the injustice of the world. First he lost his beloved mother. The stepmother did not like her stepson and tried not to notice him, giving all her love to her own son. Shortly after this, Tim's father died. But only the boy had a weapon against all the troubles in the world - his ringing laughter. And one day he attracted the mysterious baron, who offered to change. The man wanted to get Tim’s cheerful and melodic laugh, and in return offered him special luck, which allowed him to win any bet.

Being in truly dire straits, Tim agreed. And soon after that he became rich. He was able to afford everything he didn’t even dare to dream about. But the fulfillment of his desires did not bring him joy, because he could no longer laugh. And then Tim decided to get the laughter back. But just how? He had no right to tell his friends. Indeed, in this case, he would not only forever lose the opportunity to regain his laughter, but would also lose his incredible luck in all the bets.

"My Great-Grandfather, Heroes and Me"

Books that teach and educate occupy a special place among children's literature. Few writers have found that fine line between boring edification and exciting work. James Crews is one of them.

This is diluted with poems composed personally by the author. And it tells about a conversation between a great-grandfather-poet and a great-grandson-poet. A wise, gray-haired old man tells more and more stories about heroes who lived in different times. It tells about warriors, great battles and treacherous enemies. And at the same time, he explains to the heir what a real feat is and what is just bravado, a senseless risk and an attempt to show off.

James Crews remains one of the most widely read children's writers of the last century. Photos of this man show how much he loved children and his business. That is why his works, imbued with goodness, conquer new generations of young readers.

“Good children's writers are good writers.

Unfortunately, the parts of this equation cannot be swapped...

Because a good children's writer... must exist and remain

something completely different: a child, a lifelong child.”

James Crews

German poet and prose writer James Crews born on May 31, 1926 on the island of Heligoland in the family of an electrician and was the eldest son in a large family. In 1941, when the war came close to the island, the family was evacuated to the mainland; Crews would return to Heligoland only in 1961. Beginning in the late summer of 1944, Crews was drafted into the German army and served in military aviation. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, he went to Hamburg. From 1946 to 1948 he studied at the Lüneburg Pedagogical School, but did not work in his specialty, but began to try his hand at literature.

The German prose writer Erich Kästner, whom he met in 1950, actively influenced the development of Crews as a writer. In particular, Kaestner convinced Crews to write for children. Since 1951, Crews has written extensively for various radio stations and magazines. In 1953, the first picture book, Hanselmann Travels Around the World, was published.

Crews authored several dozen books of poetry and prose, including such stories as “Mein Urgroßvater und ich” (“My Great-Grandfather and I,” 1959), awarded the “German Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature” for 1960, “Whenever I became a king" (1961), "My great-grandfather, heroes and me" (1967), as well as lyrics, radio plays, television scripts. Translated a lot into German from various languages. But his most famous work is the story “Tim Thaler, or Sold Laughter” (1962). In this adventurous fairy tale for teenagers, the author uses schemes borrowed from various classical works, for example, from Goethe's Faust. The richness of mythological motifs and literary allusions, despite all its organic nature, makes this story a classic of 20th-century literature, equally interesting to both children and adults.

In 1968, Crews was awarded the G.H. Medal. Andersen for his contribution to world literature for children. He summarized his literary views in the book “Naivität und Kunstverstand. Gedanken zur Kinderliteratur" (1969). In general, articles about literature for children and children's reading are a special topic in the works of James Crews. Although the writer claimed that he wrote for children “for fun,” he actually took his own creativity and children’s literature in general very seriously. Like many cultural figures of the post-war generation, he believed in the liberating mission of literature. However, even in a children's book he placed artistic goals above educational ones.

James Crews died on August 2, 1997 in the Grand Canaries, where he had lived since 1966. Buried in Heligoland.

Faust for the little ones.
A children's fairy tale about how there are things more valuable than money.

Little Tim was unlucky in life. First he lost his mother. Then he acquired a stepmother and half-brother, who did not brighten up his life at all. And then he lost his father too... On top of all this, the guy felt firsthand the lack of money the family was in. The only thing that seemed to be irreplaceable to him was his cheerful disposition and cheerful laughter... But then the checkered one appeared and offered a strange deal - to sell laughter in exchange for the ability to win any bet! Was one worth the other?

Well, the intended answer is quite clear. Although, at first this may not seem at all obvious. What they buy from a guy is not his heart, not his kindness, not his mind... Just laughter. Is it possible to be happy without laughing? But it turns out that everything is somewhat more complicated. Do you enjoy having a friendly chat with an exceptionally gloomy individual? How do you feel when everyone is having fun, but due to some internal reasons, this fun is not available to you? Why, after all, does this strange “checkered” boy laugh? Wow, this is a moral and ethical aspect about responsibility for ensuring that your “property” does not fall into the wrong hands and bring grief to someone.
In general, the main message is that money does not equal happiness, selling your soul does not lead to anything good, and it’s not easy to beat the evil one and correct a perfect mistake...

Although, it must be said, the identification of laughter and soul is somewhat dubious. But I think this is precisely because the book is for children. How else can you explain to kids that life without a soul will be bad? What is a soul anyway? And laughter is something so natural for a child that the situation immediately becomes concrete. Without any complex abstractions.
At the same time, the book, in general, is not childishly tough. The baby's fate was depicted to be so difficult, and hop - he should already be ready to confront the devil himself. And how was he supposed to cultivate such a skill in himself at such a young age? He doesn’t even have anyone to consult with. But no, if you please, recognize it, show perseverance, calculate the consequences, refuse... How? Couldn't? Pay up! Just a ready-made guilt complex for a boy. This is actually a minus of the book. You need to be more gentle with kids, more gentle.

But what I liked were the allusions to Faust and Bulgakov’s characters. Here is this contract, this processing of the victim in a “hot spot”, checkered, again, and the fat cat was also present. The kind of Easter eggs that, when suddenly encountered, make you smile. Another big plus is Treach’s down-to-earth and understandable motives. No metaphysics or universal evil for you - a completely commercial and unprincipled calculation. This is somehow more plausible than the meaningless “I want to destroy as many souls as possible.” And of course, the way to fool the devil is simple and elegant. It would seem like an obvious thing, but suddenly it doesn’t come to mind.

The bottom line is a pleasant book that leaves a good aftertaste, and one that, you know, makes you want to read and discuss it at some point with hypothetical children.