Illustrator Ali Mitgutsch has died at the age of 86

Ali Mitgutsch died in Munich on the evening of 10 January at the age of 86. Ravensburger Verlag announced this in a press release on Tuesday with reference to its literary agents Ingmar Gregorzewski and Oliver Breuer. Mitgutsch was the “father of Wimmel books”: his first Wimmel book, “All Around in My City” was published in 1968. Many more followed, delighting generations of children and adults.

The publisher mourns the loss of its children’s author. According to the announcement, Clemens Meier, CEO of Ravensburger AG, says, “Ali Mitgutsch’s work has lost none of its charisma and charm over all the decades.” “As the son of the then publisher, I grew up with his books, as do my kids now. We are sad but grateful that we were allowed to be with him for so long. “Doctor. Anoushka Albertz, managing director of Ravensburger Verlag GmbH, finds emotional words to say goodbye: “Her pictures still amaze and laugh at me, I keep discovering new details,” she says. “We are losing a great artist and friend.”

Mitgutsch described Wimmelwelten as “self-telling story books”.

Mitgutsch’s Wimmel Books has been telling wonderful everyday stories for decades without words and in a colorful way – from the swimming pool, the farm, the mountains or the city. Mittgutsch described his Wimmelwelten as “self-paced story books”. As the name suggests, “Wimmel Books” is filled with figures and other small details. The pissing guy was an eye-catcher over and over again. Mitgutsch found food through town for his paintings. “I always have a small pad and pen and I quickly make sketches, which I will work with later,” he once said in an interview with the German Press Agency.

Mitgutsch began his career as a graphic designer. His talent was revealed when he sent de Ravensberger Verlag some ideas and sketches for children’s books—his first hidden object book, “All Around in My City,” was published in 1968. A year later, he received the German Youth Book Prize for this. This was beginning to become the theme of Mitgutsch’s life. Six years ago, on his 80th birthday, the children’s book author said in interview: “Every single hidden object is a part of me.”

Mitgutsch. Over 70 Books, Posters and Puzzles from

According to the publisher, more than 70 books, posters and puzzles with their figures and illustrations were published. And so they were hugely successful: in Germany alone, over five million copies were sold, and over three million copies were sold internationally. Mitgutsch retired in 2017 and withdrew from public life.