What are you reading, Dr Mildner?
Dr. Alexander Mildner studies the development of two specific types of immune cells, monocytes and macrophages. These cells are essential to the immune defence against microorganisms, but also play an important role in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
I often forget that it isn’t always the most recent books that reflect the topics most relevant to our times. That thought goes through my head when I browse the book swap shelf in the cafeteria on the Buch research campus. Over the last few months it’s been a reliable source of excellent, if older, books, for example by Jurij Brězan and Bernard Malamud, which in some ways are very topical. Recently I came across the book “Das Lumpengesindel” [The Pack of Ragamuffins] by Janosch, published in 1987. It’s a children’s book published by the Swiss publisher Diogenes, only available second-hand or through the well-known online delivery services. The author, Janosch, is an illustrator and writer who has written many children’s books, including “Oh wie schön ist Panama” [The Trip to Panama].
“Das Lumpengesindel” – not to be confused with Janosch’s parody of the Grimms’ fairytale of the same name – is set in a world in which industry, governments and laws are controlled by the “gentlemen”, who are polluting and destroying the world with impunity, while the little hen and cock are blamed for it. The world is obviously going to ruin, while the “gentlemen” get richer and richer and suppress demonstrations with “a squad of police, batons, tear gas and rubber bullets”, during which a “Frooki is trodden underfoot. That’s bad” – as it says in the book.
But the harmless “Frookis” have spent long enough standing idly by, so in disguise they infiltrate the league of “gentlemen” and with cleverness, patience and kindness they take over important positions without anyone noticing. Eventually they find themselves in charge, occupying all the important jobs, and they start making the laws themselves…
“Das Lumpengesindel” is a marvellously anarchistic book with vivid language, and as to whether it’s really a children’s book, well, the reader will have to decide for themselves. But the topicality of this Janosch book and its sheer impact leave you astonished. How could a book like that just be forgotten?
“Das Lumpengesindel” Diogenes-Verlag, Zurich 1987, ISBN 3−257−00689−6.”
