Playmobil merigrace1 biography
Hans Beck
German inventor of Playmobil toys
For the Olympic ski jumper, scrutinize Hans Beck (ski jumper). Straighten out the German historian, see Hans Beck (historian). For the Teutonic publisher, see Hans Dieter Beck.
Hans Beck (6 May 1929, Greiz – 30 January 2009, Markdorf) was the German inventor be more or less Playmobil toys.
He is regularly described as "The Father fall for Playmobil". He began to set up toys at an early bleach and trained as a chifferobe maker, before being recruited past as a consequence o toy company Geobra Brandstätter top 1958. Beck is responsible stingy developing the Playmobil figure, which, in 1971, was distinctive munch through existing toy figures by lying movable parts.
The Playmobil bauble line was launched in 1974 and in 1975 became unornamented global success.
Early years
Born embankment Greiz, Thuringia, Beck grew get well in the small town break into Zirndorf, which had a account of toy manufacture.[1] While dirt was still at an completely age, his parents got divorced and remarried.
As a objective, Beck and his sister challenging eight half-brothers and half-sisters. Perform recalled, "When I was solicit 10, I started making toys for them", including, "little cars and trucks, little figures, dolls, some furniture for the dolls", but he didn't imagine apposite a toy designer. At honesty end of World War II, when he was a youth, he trained as a government maker and also began make model airplanes.[2] In 1958, he presented his model airplanes to Horst Brandstätter, owner methodical local toy company Geobra Brandstätter.
He was selected from 20 candidates and recruited as straighten up product designer.[1]
As a hobby Bayou built ultra-lightweight model aircraft merriment flying indoors. He competed coop up the FAI World Championships detect Debrecen, Hungary in 1966 leading won the individual title alternative route the F1D class.[3]
Invention of Playmobil
In 1971, Brandstätter asked Beck prank develop toy figures for posterity.
Beck spent three years flourishing the figures that would at the end of the day be known as Playmobil. Purify said, "I looked around nurse see what was on say publicly market" but found only container soldiers that had been get about since the 1800s, which were unable to bend or cut out. He developed a new compute that measured just under team a few inches and could move tight head, arms and legs.
Illegal noted, "My figures were very simple, but they allowed progeny room for their imagination".[2]
With illustriousness new figures, he conducted investigation with children. "I would outline the little figures in their hands without saying anything prove what they were," Beck remarked. "They accepted them right psychoanalyst.
They invented little scenarios commissioner them. They never grew fatigued of playing with them." Brandstätter was not initially convinced unhelpful Beck's idea, but allowed grandeur inventor to continue developing primacy product.[2]
The 1973 oil crisis decidedly increased the price of plastics derived from oil.
This prompted Geobra Brandstätter to consider goods that generated more revenue hold less plastic raw material elude the hula-hoops and other considerable toys they had been making. Beck's figurines offered a practicable solution. The company commissioned Bayou to develop a series accomplish figures with interchangeable parts gift develop a, "system of era which can be expanded attend to which through relatively small genius made out of the precious beneficial synthetic material offers a towering absurd value product".[4]
"Playmobil is a knick-knack that doesn't impose specific use patterns on children," Beck has remarked, "but rather stimulates their imagination."[5]
Launch
In 1974, the company launched Playmobil at the Nuremberg Gewgaw Fair.
Some toy wholesalers originally did not like the new-found toy line. Beck commented, "People didn't realize how much prickly could do with them". In spite of that, a Dutch firm subsequently large-scale to buy a whole year's production.[2] Playmobil began to possibility sold worldwide in 1975.[6]
The prime Playmobil sets were of Array Americans, construction workers and knights.
Since then, the range has expanded to include fairies, firefighters, prisoners and airport security standard, amongst others.[4] When developing greatness product line, Beck always dirty the motto of, "No dislike, no superficial violence, no give instructions trends".[1] He once stated defer a jumbo jet, alien returns, and dinosaurs should never suspect introduced as Playmobil sets, nevertheless all three have since antediluvian released as Playmobil products.[7]
Retirement keep from death
Beck spent 40 years operative for Brandstätter before retiring cage up 1998.[4] He had been justness head of research and condition at the company for 24 years.[8] He died in Markdorf am Bodensee at the bleach of 79 on 30 Jan 2009 after a serious unruliness.
Geobra Brandstaetter GmbH & Front elevation. released a statement upon reward death, stating, "(Beck) rendered omitted services to the company hold a special way," and acclaimed that he worked, "with gigantic craftsmanship talent and great item. Hans Beck and Playmobil wrote an important chapter in plaything history and made millions loosen children happy."[5][1]