Sandmännchen 

Two versions of Sandmännchen were created: one in East Germany (Unser Sandmännchen), and one in West Germany (Das Sandmännchen).

The original idea came from Ilse Obrig of West Berlin TV and radio station Sender Freies Berlin (SFB), who with the help of author Johanna Schüppel, developed a working version in 1958. The Little Sandman himself first appeared on screen in West Berlin in Sandmännchens Gruß für Kinder (Sandmännchen's Greeting to Children) on 1 December 1959, and other episodes were soon made.

However, on 22 December 1959 (less than three weeks after the production had started), East German television (Deutscher Fernsehfunk, DFF) began broadcasting Unser Sandmännchen with its own "good night, children" character, also called Sandmännchen.

Created by the puppetmaster and director Gerhard Behrendt, the show represented everyday life, travel, and fantastic adventure, as well as a certain amount of propaganda. Some people claim that the title character bears a resemblance to the then leader of the DDR, Walter Ulbricht, and the show was often a showcase for DDR and Socialist technology and success. This is one of the reasons why he often arrived in awe-inspiring vehicles like futuristic cars and flying devices.

The production of the Western version of Sandmännchen ceased in 1991, following the unification of Germany. However, episodes from the DFF show are still run on German television today.