Die Hexe Schrumpeldei 7 Und Die Walpurgisnachthexerei: A Retro Radioplay Gem That Sticks With You
Alright, so I recently stumbled across this quirky little piece of German audio magic from 1978 called Die Hexe Schrumpeldei 7 Und Die Walpurgisnachthexerei. Yeah, try saying that five times fast. It’s not your typical music album—it’s more like a full-on radioplay experience, complete with spooky vibes, killer voice acting, and some surprisingly catchy tunes sprinkled in there. Let’s dive into it.
First off, hats off to the team behind this thing. Eberhard Alexander-Burgh wrote the story, Hans Paetsch narrated it (and man, does he bring the drama), and Bert Brac handled the music, which is just as wild as you’d expect for something about witches and Walpurgis Night shenanigans. The artwork by Hans Möller? Super retro-cool, like something you’d find in an old library book or at a flea market treasure hunt.
Now, onto the tracks—there are only two parts, but they pack a punch. I’ll break down why these bits stuck with me.
Track 1: Die Hexe Schrumpeldei 7 - Und Die Walpurgisnachthexerei (Teil 1)
Okay, so right outta the gate, this feels like someone handed you a steaming cauldron of storytelling goodness. Narrator Hans Paetsch has one of those voices that could make reading a phonebook sound dramatic, and here he’s got a tale about witches on Walpurgis Night. For those who don’t know, Walpurgis Night is basically Halloween’s edgier European cousin—you’ve got bonfires, broomsticks, and all sorts of supernatural chaos going down.
What really grabbed me was how vividly everything came alive. Like, when Schrumpeldei—the main witch—is introduced, her character jumps out at ya thanks to Hans Meinhardt’s voice work. He makes her sound both hilarious and kinda terrifying, like if your grandma decided she wanted to be a supervillain. And then there’s the background score—it doesn’t overpower the dialogue, but it sneaks in just enough eeriness to keep things creepy yet fun.
Track 2: Die Hexe Schrumpeldei 7 - Und Die Walpurgisnachthexerei (Teil 2)
This is where the plot really takes off. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say things get chaotic in the best way possible. There’s a scene involving a magical mishap that had me laughing out loud because of how absurdly over-the-top it was. Again, props to the voice actors—they sell every moment like pros. Hans Meinhardt deserves special mention; his timing is impeccable, especially during the slapstick moments.
And can we talk about Bert Brac’s music again? In Teil 2, there’s this one recurring theme that sounds like what would happen if a polka band crashed a horror movie soundtrack. It’s weird, it’s jarring, and honestly? That’s why I love it. It perfectly matches the bizarre energy of the whole thing.
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So yeah, Die Hexe Schrumpeldei 7 Und Die Walpurgisnachthexerei isn’t gonna win any Grammys, but that’s not the point. This is pure nostalgia fuel for anyone into vintage German pop culture or anyone who digs creative, offbeat storytelling. Listening to it felt like stepping back in time to a world where imagination ruled supreme, and no one cared if stuff made perfect sense as long as it was entertaining.
Oh, and here’s the kicker—I bet nobody saw this coming back in ’78, but listening to it now feels almost… ahead of its time? Like, if someone remade this today with modern tech, it’d probably blow up online. Just imagine TikTok trends based on Schrumpeldei memes. Crazy, right?
Anyway, if you’re hunting for something different to spice up your playlist rotation, give this a shot. Trust me, you won’t forget Schrumpeldei anytime soon.
