Mouse statue

Sunday, May 7, 1971: For the first time on this day, the famous orange mouse flickers across Germany's screens, delivering child-friendly knowledge with stories full of laughter and facts. The concept worked, as the show with the cute mouse continues to air after more than 50 years. Fun fact: The average age of viewers today is about 40 years. The reason is that grandparents and parents often watch with the children.

Since 2021, there has also been a statue of the mouse in Cologne, which is very popular, especially as a photo motif. You can find it right in front of the WDR, between the Vierscheibenhaus and the 1LIVE building on Mörsergasse. Take a photo with Germany's most famous mouse if you're already near Cologne Cathedral, Hohe Straße, or the Fragrance House 4711...

TV History in Public Space: Please Smile!

You don't need to register or pay an entrance fee for the mouse. She waits for you and your family on the open street, waving to you from afar. She was set up by the WDR for the 50th anniversary of the mouse in 2021.

Mouse Statue on Tour 2024

In 2024, there was a big scare for Cologne residents and tourists: the mouse was kidnapped and sent on a journey through the republic. In place of the statue, there was at least a reassuring sign: "Dear friends, I have something important to do. That's why I'm going on a little trip. But don't worry! I'm doing well and will be back safe and sound in a few days.

" What happened? Later, activists claimed responsibility for the "kidnapping"—and even though the mouse should certainly not be misused for political actions like a protest against the reform plans of public broadcasting, the kidnappers thought of their little friends with the remaining "ransom note," who in the meantime couldn't take a photo with their TV star.