Max und Moritz: Eine Bubengeschichte in sieben Streichen by Wilhelm Busch

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Max und Moritz: Eine Bubengeschichte in sieben Streichen by Wilhelm Busch

(5 User reviews) 3235

By Charlotte Girard Posted on Nov 15, 2025

In Category - Literary Mystery

Authors: Busch, Wilhelm, 1832-1908 Published By : Busch, Wilhelm, 1832-1908

Book Language: German

Ever wondered what mischief looked like before video games? Meet Max and Moritz, two boys who turn their 19th-century German village into their personal playground for chaos. Their story is a series of seven pranks, each more outrageous than the last, told in catchy rhymes. They stuff breadcrumbs down a widow's pipe, tie firecrackers to a teacher's chair, and generally make everyone's life a hilarious nightmare. It's a quick, funny read that feels surprisingly modern, even though it's over 150 years old. Just be warned: you might find yourself rooting for the troublemakers.

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Peeled Hemp-Bark Method for Rocks and Ledges (a) The Axe strokes (b). Plate XXIII. Lines or Veins of Lotus Leaf (a). Alum Crystals (b). Plate XXIV. Loose Rice Leaves (a). Withered Kindling Twigs (b). Plate XXV. Scattered Hemp Leaves (a). Wrinkles on the Cow’s Neck (b). Plate XXVI. The Circle (1). Semi-Circle (2). Fish Scales (3). Moving Fish Scales (4). Plate XXVII. Theory of Tree Growth (1). Practical Application (2). Grass Growth in Theory (3). In Practice (4). Plate XXVIII. Skeleton of a Forest Tree (1) Same Developed (2). Tree Completed in structure (3). Plate XXIX. Perpendicular Lines for Rocks (1). Horizontal Lines for Rocks (2). Rock Construction as Practiced in Art (3 and 4). Plate XXX. Different Ways of Painting Rocks and Ledges. Plate XXXI. Wistaria Dot (a). Chrysanthemum Dot (b). Plate XXXII. Wheel-Spoke Dot (a). KAI JI Dot (b). Plate XXXIII. Pepper-Seed Dot (a). Mouse-Footprint Dot (b). Plate XXXIV. Serrated Dot (a). ICHI JI dot (b). Plate XXXV. Heart Dot (a). HITSU JI Dot (b). Plate XXXVI. Rice Dot (a). HAKU YO Dot (b). Plate XXXVII. Waves (a). Different Kinds of Moving Waters (b). Plate XXXVIII. Sea Waves (a). Brook Waves (b). Plate XXXIX. Storm Waves. Plate XL. Silk-Thread Line (upper). Koto string Line (lower). Plate XLI. Clouds, Water Lines (upper). Iron-Wire Line (lower). Plate XLII. Nail-Head, Rat-Tail Line (upper). Tsubone Line (lower). Plate XLIII. Willow-Leaf Line (upper). Angle-Worm Line (lower). Plate XLIV. Rusty-Nail and Old-Post Line (upper). Date-Seed Line (lower). Plate XLV. Broken-Reed Line (upper). Gnarled-Knot Line (lower). Plate XLVI. Whirling-Water Line (upper). Suppression Line (lower). Plate XLVII. Dry-Twig Line (upper). Orchid-Leaf Line (lower). Plate XLVIII. Bamboo-Leaf Line (upper). Mixed style (lower). Plate XLIX. The Plum Tree and Blossom. Plate L. The Chrysanthemum Flower and Leaves. Plate LI. The Orchid Plant and Flower. Plate LII. The Bamboo Plant and Leaves. Plate LIII. Sunrise Over the Ocean (1). Horai San (2). Sun, storks and Tortoise (3, 4, 5). Plate LIV. Fuku Roku Ju (1). The Pine Tree (2). Bamboo and Plum (3). Kado Matsu and Shimenawa (4). Rice Cakes (5). Plate LV. Sun and Waves (1). Rice Grains(2). Cotton Plant (3). Battledoor (4). Treasure Ship (5). Plate LVI. Chickens and the Plum Tree (1). Plum and Song Bird (2). Last of the Snow (3). Peach Blossoms (4). Paper Dolls (5). Nana Kusa (6). Plate LVII. Cherry Trees (1). Ebb Tide (2). Saohime (3). Wistaria (4). Iris (5). Moon and Cuckoo (6). Plate LVIII. Carp (1). Waterfall (2). Crow and Snow (3). Kakehi (4). Tanabata (5). Autumn Grasses (6). Plate LIX. Stacked Rice and Sparrows (1). Rabbit in the Moon (2). Megetsu (3). Mist Showers (4). Water Grasses (5). Joga (6). Plate LX. Chrysanthemum (1). Tatsutahime (2). Deer and Maples (3). Geese and the Moon (4). Fruits of Autumn (5). Monkey and Persimmons (6). Plate LXI. Squirrel and Grapes (1). Kayenu Matsu (2). Evesco or Ebisu (3). Zan Kiku (4). First Snow (5). Oharame (6). Plate LXII. Mandarin Ducks (1). Chi Dori (2). Duck Flying (3). Snow Shelter (4). Snow Scene (5). Snow Daruma (6). Plate LXIII. Crow and Plum (1). Bird and Persimmon (2). Nukume Dori (3). Kinuta uchi (4). Plate LXIV. Spring (1). Summer (2). Autumn (3). Winter (4). Plate LXV. Cha no Yu (1). Sen Cha (2). Birth of Buddha (3). Inari (4). Plate LXVI. DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF KUBOTA BEISEN A GREAT ARTIST AND A KINDLY MAN, WHOSE HAPPINESS WAS IN HELPING OTHERS AND WHOSE TRIUMPHANT CAREER HAS SHED ENDURING LUSTRE UPON THE ART OF JAPANESE PAINTING _ __ __ _ _INTRODUCTION BY IWAYA SAZANAMI_(_1_) _ __ _ _ First of all, I should...

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If you're looking for a classic that's short, sharp, and shockingly funny, you've found it. Max und Moritz is a picture book written in verse, published way back in 1865 by Wilhelm Busch. It's often called one of the earliest comic strips, and you can totally see why.

The Story

This isn't one long plot, but seven short chapters, each a separate 'prank'. We follow the titular boys, Max and Moritz, as they terrorize their village. Their victims include a widow, a tailor, a teacher, and a baker. Their methods are creative, cruel, and kind of brilliant—from tricking a widow's chickens to their doom to sawing through the supports of a bridge. The story moves fast, the rhymes are punchy, and Busch's simple but expressive drawings sell every joke and grimace.

Why You Should Read It

First, it's just plain fun. The rhythm of the German is fantastic (even in translation, the spirit comes through). But there's a dark, subversive edge here that's fascinating. This isn't a moral tale where the boys learn a lesson and become good. The consequences are real and, frankly, a bit shocking by today's standards. It holds a mirror up to childish cruelty and adult vengeance, and it doesn't blink. Reading it feels like getting a secret, unsanitized look at another time.

Final Verdict

This is a must-read for anyone interested in the roots of comics and animation (it directly inspired the Katzenjammer Kids and, by extension, a lot of cartoon mischief). It's perfect for language learners looking for a manageable classic, parents who want a story that doesn't talk down to kids, and anyone who enjoys a darkly comic fable. It’s a tiny book with a huge legacy.

🔓 Public Domain Content

This digital edition is based on a public domain text. You are welcome to share this with anyone.