More than 200 German folk songs and children's songs from the 14th to the 20th century, compiled by Anne Diekmann with the help of Willi Gohl. Illustrated with more than 150 pictures by Tomi Ungerer.

The Warsaw ghetto is in flames, only a few Jews are still alive. One of the last insurgents, Yosl Rakover, remains hidden in a burning house. With his fallen companions at his side and death swiftly approaching, he writes down the feelings of one of a million Jews whose family has been murdered in the Holocaust, whose people have been annihilated. Alongside all of the pain that he has suffered, he describes his longing for revenge and the sweet gratification at the sight of the dying enemy. In harsh words, Yosl Rakover takes to task his God, who has turned His back on the world; but despite all of these tests and punishments, he holds fast to his faith: In the final analysis, Rakover addresses God as a faithful believer but not an indebted petitioner, a lover of God but not a blind Amen-sayer. Originally a work commissioned by the Jewish Newspaper in Buenos Aires, 'Yosl Rakover Talks to God' established itself in its own right in remarkable fashion following its initial publication in the year 1946. For many years, the text, translated into countless languages, was purported to be an authentic document from the Holocaust – in anthologies, newspapers and radio broadcasts. In 1962, Emmanuel Levinas devoted an entire study to it, while the text was included in the Jewish prayer book in America and found its way into schoolbooks in Germany. The myth concerning the origin of the text continues to blossom. One hears that the manuscript was written by an anonymous author, or that the text is a work of fiction but that Yosl Rakover did indeed exist. Kolitz' attempts to remind the world of his authorship, which he had never denied, were mostly in vain – the myth is seemingly written in stone. After the library in Buenos Aires, where the original manuscript was rediscovered, was destroyed by fire as a result of a bomb attack, the fictitious history of Yosl Rakover's testament appeared to have found its analogy in reality.

Who doesn't know them, Alm-Öhi, Peter the goatherd, Aunt Dete and poor Klara in Frankfurt – Heidi enchants them all. Their story is as old as it is topical, a parable that has attained the status of a classic, a tale about the victory of humaneness and the power of love in a society that has become heartless. The first edition of the children's book classic was published in 1880 when the dark side of technological progress was beginning to make itself felt. It is no coincidence that love of nature prevails over the blessings of modern civilisation.
Tomi Ungerer's wonderful sketches, all the more realistic and lively for their minimalism, allow the text to shine, just adding a punchline here and there – a refreshing addition to one of the most beautiful children's classics in the world!

Who doesn't know them, Alm-Öhi, Peter the goatherd, Aunt Dete and poor Klara in Frankfurt – Heidi enchants them all. Their story is as old as it is topical, a parable that has attained the status of a classic, a tale about the victory of humaneness and the power of love in a society that has become heartless. The first edition of the children's book classic was published in 1880 when the dark side of technological progress was beginning to make itself felt. It is no coincidence that love of nature prevails over the blessings of modern civilisation.
Tomi Ungerer's wonderful sketches, all the more realistic and lively for their minimalism, allow the text to shine, just adding a punchline here and there – a refreshing addition to one of the most beautiful children's classics in the world!