Scheibenwischer

Scheibenwischer
Titlecard for Scheibenwischer used in 2004
Genre	Kabarett
Created by	Dieter Hildebrandt
Presented by	Dieter Hildebrandt (1980-2003) Bruno Jonas (2000-2008) Mathias Richling (2003-2008) Georg Schramm (2003-2006) Richard Rogler (2006-2008)
Country of origin	Germany
Original language(s)	German
Production
Producer(s)	Sender Freies Berlin (1980-2003) Bayerischer Rundfunk/Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (2003-2008)
Running time	1980-2008
Release
Original network	Das Erste
Chronology
Followed by	Satire Gipfel

Scheibenwischer (German for windshield wipers) was the name of a long-running German Kabarett show. It was founded in 1980 by Dieter Hildebrandt and produced by BR / RBB to be broadcast on Das Erste. The show ended in 2008 after 28 years on the air.

Scheibenwischer had its focus on solely Kabarett and used a more solemn way of humor, as opposed to lighthearted stand-up comedy. As such, the topics discussed by the artists on the show have sometimes had a potential to cause uproar and scandals with contemporary politicians, especially conservative ones like Franz Josef Strauß.

Alongside Hildebrandt, who hosted the show until 2003, a number of prominent artists were guests on the show, such as Gerhard Polt, Wolfgang Stumph, Andreas Rebers, Hagen Rether, Philipp Weber, the musical group Biermösl Blosn or singer Konstantin Wecker. The guest artist was an essential part of the show, which served as a framework for different artists to be featured.

Hildebrandt pitched the idea of the show to Sender Freies Berlin (SFB) in 1980 after his previous program, Notizen aus der Provinz on ZDF, had been canceled. It was taken up and produced by SFB to be broadcast on the ARD channel. After creating the show, Hildebrandt was famously attacked by the Bavarian chief of state and candidate for German chancellor, Franz Josef Strauß, as a "political poisoner," which served to strengthen Hildebrandt's image as a mordant but incorruptible critic of politicians.