Hans Beck
Encyclopedia
Hans Beck was the German
inventor of the toy
Playmobil
. He is thus often called "The Father of Playmobil."
Born in Greiz
, Thuringia
, Beck grew up in the town of Zirndorf
, beginning his toy making career as a creator of little vehicles and figures for his younger siblings. Beck received training as a cabinetmaker
but worked simultaneously on model airplanes, a product he pitched to the company Geobra Brandstätter. The owner of the company, Horst Brandstätter
, asked him to develop toy figures for children, instead.
One of his hobbies was aeromodelling in its most lightweight category — indoor models. These ultralight flying models, with wing spans of 900 mm in the early 60's (550 mm today), were covered with microfilm (acetone lacquer poured and dried on water) and built from extra tiny balsa wood beams
(0,9 x 0,7 mm). Powered by a tiny rubber band turned to over 1700 turns, they could fly for over 40 minutes in large halls or airship hangars. The whole aeroplane weighed only 1,2 grams. Hans Beck was a champion in this category, and won the 1966 World Champion title in Debrecen, Hungary.
Beck spent three years developing what became Playmobil. He conducted research that allowed him to develop a toy that would be flexible (unlike tin soldier
s), not too complex, fit in an average child's hand and have a facial design based on child's drawing (e.g. having a large head, smile, and no nose). "I would put the little figures in their hands without saying anything about what they were," Beck remarked. “They accepted them right away... They invented little scenarios for them. They never grew tired of playing with them." Horst Brandstätter was not initially convinced of the viability of Beck's idea, but allowed the inventor to continue developing the product.
The 1973 oil crisis
made it possible for Playmobil to be considered a viable product. Rising oil prices imposed on Geobra Brandstätter (whose headquarters are at Zirndorf), for whom Beck worked as Head of Development, demanded that the company turn to products that required less solid plastic material (during the 1960s, the company had been producing hoola-hoops and large plastic toys). More had to be done with the plastic the company bought.
The company commissioned Beck to develop an entire series. "Playmobil is a toy that doesn't impose specific play patterns on children," Beck has remarked, "but rather stimulates their imagination." The system of customizable toys, with its interchangeable parts, offered unlimited possibilities for re-combination and expansion.
In 1974, the company put the series on show in its display rooms. Visitors were initially reluctant to accept the toy. Nevertheless, the toy was shown at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg
, which was taking place that same year. The toy remained popular with children. A Dutch
firm subsequently agreed to buy a whole year's production. Playmobil began to be sold worldwide in 1975.
The first Playmobil sets were of Native Americans
, construction worker
s and knight
s. Beck once mentioned in an interview that a jumbo jet, alien figures
, and dinosaur
s should never be introduced as Playmobil sets; all three have been introduced into the Playmobil universe since that time.
After training a group of product designers to take his place, Beck retired in 1998 , just prior to the 25th birthday of the introduction of Playmobil.
During the World Expo 2000 in Hannover, Beck was among the 100 German personalities who were honored with a statue within the German Pavilion.
He died at the age of 79 on January 30, 2009 after a serious illness.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
inventor of the toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
Playmobil
Playmobil
Playmobil is a line of toys produced by the Brandstätter Group , headquartered in Zirndorf, Germany.New products and product lines developed by a 50-strong development team are frequently introduced by Brandstätter. Some of these, such as promotional products, are only produced in limited quantities...
. He is thus often called "The Father of Playmobil."
Born in Greiz
Greiz
Greiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, Beck grew up in the town of Zirndorf
Zirndorf
Zirndorf is a town, which is part of the district of Fürth. It is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the Regierungsbezirk of Middle Franconia.-Neighbouring municipalities:...
, beginning his toy making career as a creator of little vehicles and figures for his younger siblings. Beck received training as a cabinetmaker
Cabinet (furniture)
A cabinet is usually a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors or drawers for storing miscellaneous items. Some cabinets stand alone while others are built into a wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet. Cabinets are typically made of wood or, now increasingly, of synthetic...
but worked simultaneously on model airplanes, a product he pitched to the company Geobra Brandstätter. The owner of the company, Horst Brandstätter
Horst Brandstätter
Horst Brandstätter is the owner of the German company Brandstätter Group. The company was founded by Andreas Brandstätter in 1876....
, asked him to develop toy figures for children, instead.
One of his hobbies was aeromodelling in its most lightweight category — indoor models. These ultralight flying models, with wing spans of 900 mm in the early 60's (550 mm today), were covered with microfilm (acetone lacquer poured and dried on water) and built from extra tiny balsa wood beams
(0,9 x 0,7 mm). Powered by a tiny rubber band turned to over 1700 turns, they could fly for over 40 minutes in large halls or airship hangars. The whole aeroplane weighed only 1,2 grams. Hans Beck was a champion in this category, and won the 1966 World Champion title in Debrecen, Hungary.
Beck spent three years developing what became Playmobil. He conducted research that allowed him to develop a toy that would be flexible (unlike tin soldier
Tin soldier
Tin soldiers are miniature figures of toy soldiers that are extremely popular in the world of collecting. They can be bought finished or in a raw state to be hand-painted. They are generally made of pewter, tin, lead, other metals or plastic...
s), not too complex, fit in an average child's hand and have a facial design based on child's drawing (e.g. having a large head, smile, and no nose). "I would put the little figures in their hands without saying anything about what they were," Beck remarked. “They accepted them right away... They invented little scenarios for them. They never grew tired of playing with them." Horst Brandstätter was not initially convinced of the viability of Beck's idea, but allowed the inventor to continue developing the product.
The 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
made it possible for Playmobil to be considered a viable product. Rising oil prices imposed on Geobra Brandstätter (whose headquarters are at Zirndorf), for whom Beck worked as Head of Development, demanded that the company turn to products that required less solid plastic material (during the 1960s, the company had been producing hoola-hoops and large plastic toys). More had to be done with the plastic the company bought.
The company commissioned Beck to develop an entire series. "Playmobil is a toy that doesn't impose specific play patterns on children," Beck has remarked, "but rather stimulates their imagination." The system of customizable toys, with its interchangeable parts, offered unlimited possibilities for re-combination and expansion.
In 1974, the company put the series on show in its display rooms. Visitors were initially reluctant to accept the toy. Nevertheless, the toy was shown at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, which was taking place that same year. The toy remained popular with children. A Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
firm subsequently agreed to buy a whole year's production. Playmobil began to be sold worldwide in 1975.
The first Playmobil sets were of Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, construction worker
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
s and knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s. Beck once mentioned in an interview that a jumbo jet, alien figures
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
, and dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s should never be introduced as Playmobil sets; all three have been introduced into the Playmobil universe since that time.
After training a group of product designers to take his place, Beck retired in 1998 , just prior to the 25th birthday of the introduction of Playmobil.
During the World Expo 2000 in Hannover, Beck was among the 100 German personalities who were honored with a statue within the German Pavilion.
He died at the age of 79 on January 30, 2009 after a serious illness.