Armin Maiwald

Armin Maiwald
Maiwald giving a lecture at a school in 2008
Born	(1940-01-23) January 23, 1940 (age 77) Cologne, Germany
Occupation	Television director, Producer

Armin Maiwald, born January 23, 1940 in Cologne, is a German author, television director and producer. Maiwald is one of the founders of the award-winning German children's television program, Die Sendung mit der Maus. Often just called Die Maus ("The Mouse"), the program has been on the air since March 1971 and is one of the most successful children's television programs ever produced. Maiwald has won over 50 awards for his work.

In 1963, he began working as an assistant director at the German television station, WDR, and in 1971, he became one of the founders of Die Sendung mit der Maus (The Program with the Mouse), which has been called "the school of the nation" and one of the most successful children's programs ever produced.

From decades of narrating the program's educational film shorts (Sachgeschichten), Maiwald's voice is widely recognized even when he merely orders a cup of coffee or a beer. He was first seen onscreen in the late 1970s. Today, he is an integral part of the broadcast, along with fellow presenters Christoph Biemann and Ralph Caspers.

Maiwald was previously the director of other children's programs, Der Spatz vom Wallrafplatz and Robbi, Tobbi and Fliewatüüt as well as the first episodes of the puppet series, Hallo Spencer. He has also created the Bibliothek der Sachgeschichten (library of educational film shorts) from his productions for "The Mouse". Maiwald produces some 20 film shorts a year for the program.

A number of "The Mouse" educational shorts are used at universities, and other institutions as educational tools and Maiwald has received numerous media and journalism awards for his work. In 1988, he received the Adolf Grimme Award. In 1995, he was awarded the prestigious Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In addition, there is a special education school in Radevormwald named after him. In October 2010, it was announced that an elementary school in Monheim am Rhein would also be named after him.