Moritz & Mitzi: Available only in Mitzi's Hütte at the Festival!

                           sold singly or as a pair, clothing also available                 Moritz & Mitzi order form

New in 2009:

Through an exclusive arrangement with Build-a-Bear we feature our mascot, Moritz and his Schatzi, Mitzi, our favorite raccoons as our newest furry friends!

The German-American Festival is the only source for your very own raccoon built with pride by the folks at Build-a-Bear!

Moritz and Mitzi are 15 inches tall and will sell at the 44th German-American Festival for $20 each (plus tax). Lederhosen and dirndls are $15 each (plus tax) and will fit other furry friends in the Build-a-Bear line.

        
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"As part of our marketing effort, we felt that we needed a brand to be used on advertising pieces so that the public would see it and know that they were seeing something about the (GAF) Festival. This is similar to brand marks for consumer items and sports teams.

We developed the raccoon brand as part of the City of Oregon's 50th Anniversary celebration in which they had decorated fiberglass raccoons throughout the city.

The GAF raccoon was painted like the brand image. The raccoon's name is Moritz. Feel free to Google "Max und Moritz' to learn more about this part of German children's literature. Max & Moritz were impish little boys and our feeling is that raccoons have the same rascally type ways."


Link to the story of Max und Moritz / Max and Moritz:
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/mm/mm-vor_dual.html

Ach, was muß man oft von bösen Kindern hören oder lesen ! Wie zum Beispiel hier von diesen, Welche Max und Moritz hießen, Die, anstatt durch weise Lehren Sich zum Guten zu bekehren, Oftmals noch darüber lachten Und sich heimlich lustig machten. Ja, zur Übeltätigkeit, Ja, dazu ist man bereit ! Menschen necken, Tiere quälen ! Äpfel, Birnen, Zwetschen stehlen Das ist freilich angenehmer Und dazu auch viel bequemer, Als in Kirche oder Schule Festzusitzen auf dem Stuhle. Aber wehe, wehe, wehe ! Wenn ich auf das Ende sehe ! ! Ach, das war ein schlimmes Ding, Wie es Max und Moritz ging. Drum ist hier, was sie getrieben, Abgemalt und aufgeschrieben.

Ah, how oft we read or hear of Boys we almost stand in fear of! For example, take these stories Of two youths, named Max and Moritz, Who, instead of early turning Their young minds to useful learning, Often leered with horrid features At their lessons and their teachers. Look now at the empty head: he Is for mischief always ready. Teasing creatures - climbing fences, Stealing apples, pears, and quinces, Is, of course, a deal more pleasant, And far easier for the present, Than to sit in schools or churches, Fixed like roosters on their perches But O dear, O dear, O deary, When the end comes sad and dreary ! 'Tis a dreadful thing to tell That on Max and Moritz fell ! All they did this book rehearses, Both in pictures and in verses.

Read the rest of the story at the link above!