Wendt & Kühn - eleven dot post 2024/2025 (US edition)
4 Cheeky little penguins Gift idea
5 T is for tumbling Grünhainichen Lexicon
6 Brilliant, musical and colorful 2024 additions to collection
10 A masterly mix of patterns The Three Wise Men
12 “By no means routine” My Wendt & Kühn
14 Using the power of a very special Eleven Dot Angel Supporting the World Childhood Foundation
18 Wendt & Kühn on Instagram Social Media
19 “I want my angels around me” Living tradition
20 Children’s book By numbers
Happy Birthday to You Angels serenade us via video clip
21 European Capital of Culture 2025 Chemnitz
An anniversary in 2025 100 Years of the Marguerite Angels
22 Farewell
Leaving the collection at the end of the year
DEAR READER,
The “100 years of the Eleven Dot Angels” anniversary year is now behind us. It has gone down in the company history of Wendt & Kühn as a year full of emotional moments and encounters with people who feel that some part of their own life story is linked to the legendary Eleven Dot Angels. That makes us happy and also somewhat proud that for more than a century the figurines from our workshops have been spreading joy, offering support and giving courage, and that they also have the gift of touching our hearts. This conviction was one of the main reasons why we pursued a very special partnership, which in the meantime has already become a global project close to our hearts. We introduce it to you on page 14 – combined with the wish that you, too, will want to spread joy and do good.
Speaking of joy: you have probably already noticed on our front cover that the Grünhainichen orchestra has gained another new member. The Angel with Tuning Fork will be there to make sure the large ensemble keeps in tune. Our guiding principle and benchmark for the 2024 collection is once again our carefully guarded grand design legacy where we are constantly discovering designs that have either never been made before, or that have not been made for a long time. So it is that after a gap of 60 years our gnome with a heavy sack on his back is ready to tackle tasks again. The Eleven Dot Angel with Easter Egg meanwhile has not been produced for around 90 years. Starting on page 6 we present in more detail our new products and those that have just returned to the collection. These include the Three Wise Men who have now joined the Nativity Scene. They were designed in 1910 by my great-aunt and company founder Grete Wendt. We have a special story on page 10 dedicated to the exceptional skill required to paint these three royal figurines.
I would like in particular to draw your attention to the enclosed booklet containing beautiful photos of enchanting Blossom Kinder. It invites you to discover the very fine detailing that goes into making this wide range of girls and boys, and to find the inspiration to try out your own creative ideas for decorating.
I hope that this 8th edition of the eleven dot post will entertain you and bring you much pleasure.
Your
Claudia Baer, née Wendt
Cheeky little penguins with heart and humor
With their large yellow wooden feet, fluffy grey-black plumage and a cheeky look – they can be nothing but the penguins from Wendt & Kühn. Ready to put a smile on the faces of both young and old with their waddling gait on days when a bit of “Antarctic sangfroid” is called for. Or, at the start of a new chapter in one’s life – the first day at kindergarten or beginning a new job. They waddle fearlessly onward.
Penguins are known for their loyalty. Once they have found a partner, they stay together for life. And for that reason they also make a suitable gift or love token “of a different kind” for a loved one – with both heart and humor. And of course, penguins, who live in large colonies and form strong communities, demonstrate in just as impressive a way how important it is to stick together. A great present for a family member or for a good friend whom you wish to thank for their trust and support, they cut a fine figure and not just on account of their elegant tailcoats.
Olly Sommer, later Wendt, designed this group of figurines between 1922 and 1925 and gave them a really distinctive feature: the heads of the large and medium-sized penguins can be rotated so that they can look furtively in one direction and then mischievously in the other. A charming little detail. For the youngest fans of these clumsy water birds we have something more in store: a 24-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring the penguin scene you see here on this page offers lots of fun for young Antarctic explorers.
By the way: these charming South Pole ambassadors have their own specials days – Penguin Awareness Day on January 20 and World Penguin Day on April 25. Both are meant to remind us to protect this extraordinary species and its habitat.
STYLISH DISPLAY SHELVES
GRÜNHAINICHEN LEXICON
T IS FOR TUMBLING
When the sound of drumming reverberates around the wood turning shop it has very little to do with music. Here the noise comes from wooden barrel tumbling machines that are used to give wooden components their final finish. Mostly in order to polish and remove any burrs from small parts. This is the only way to get parts in a pristine condition ready for gluing and dipping. For this, large quantities of them are placed in round or octagonal barrels that rotate along their own axes. The wooden components inside are tumbled around and rub each other smooth. An effective and really simple process that has been used in the workshops for many years. And yet it takes more than just a simple press of the button to achieve the desired result. For example, it is necessary to consider whether abrasive elements such as sandpaper need to be added to the barrel. Factors such as quantity, rotation speed and the duration of the tumbling process also need to be considered. Tumble the barrel for too long, and too intensively, and the delicate components can be so ground down that little remains. Stubborn parts on the other hand may have to rotate for a whole day. The type of wood, the shape of the pieces and the size of the burrs also play a part. It takes years of experience, a keen eye and a certain “sense of rhythm” to be in charge of tumbling at Wendt & Kühn.
Just as different as the collections of figurines belonging to Wendt & Kühn fans all over the world are the “stages” on which they are displayed. Whether you present them in traditional fashion on a large Angel Mountain (550/B…), a smaller Angel Mountain Corner Unit (549/B4), the green threetier Flower Meadow (550/BL) or without a platform, simply on a shelf or table top – you can give your imagination free rein when it comes to decorating with our angels, Blossom Kinder and other figurines. The Display Shelves from Wendt & Kühn provide additional opportunities for displaying your favorite pieces on a stylish wall-mounted stage. The simple, timeless design fits almost every interior decor, from traditional to modern. Up to seven sliding disks on the Display Shelves can be positioned individually or all together in front of the back wall. They show off your treasures to their best advantage. It takes only a few simple adjustments to create new combinations – to match the season, the celebration or simply to suit your mood. Display Shelves (551/...) come in two sizes and three different colors – with a light green, dark or natural back panel.
Please note: Not all the figurines shown in the photo are currently available in our collection.
TUMBLING MACHINES have been used to achieve the final finish ever since 1934 (photo left). Today, four machines with twelve containers of different sizes are used – including three with a diameter of 30 inches.
Tumbling machines are also used in the workshops in order to separate turning parts from sawdust. Here, the outer walls of the barrel are made of fine mesh that acts as a sieve. At Wendt & Kühn, however, tumbling machines are not used for applying paint. That is a skill that can only be carried out by hand.
Brilliant, musical and colorful…
…these are the new additions and reintroductions from the Wendt & Kühn design archives that will accompany you throughout the year. They include an Angel with Blue Easter Egg that will delight you well before next Easter, a gnome that after almost 60 years in the Grand Sample Cabinet has now returned to the collection, and an angel that leads the way with brilliance and great courage. You can read more about our other new products launched this year on pages 10, 11 and 14 to 17 of this magazine.
WITH COURAGE AND VISION
Please note: While our products are available for purchase at your local specialist retailer or at the Wendt & Kühn outlets in Grünhainichen and Seiffen, Germany, we cannot accept individual mail orders.
Our new Gold Edition Angel No – 17 grasps the ship’s wheel firmly in its hands. With wide vision and prudence “The Courageous One” holds its course even in challenging situations, as solid as a rock. A loyal companion, it accompanies its owners on their great life journeys – a change of career, a house move or embarking on a new stage in life. The angel gives them the courage to steer resolutely towards their goals and to ride the “waves of life” with heart and soul. This makes the new Gold Edition a wonderful gift for friends who
love the sound of the sea. For both large and small (bathtub) captains. And for all those who can do with someone at their side to bring them courage.
The ship’s wheel, with its delicately worked spokes and handles, is covered in 24-karat gold. Its brilliance attracts fans of the sea and equally lovers of exclusive things. The angel with gold-plated base comes in a strictly limited edition – only 22,222 of these figurines will be available to bring courage to their owners.
Gold Edition N o – 17
THE COURAGEOUS ONE, ANGEL WITH SHIP'S WHEEL, GOLD-PLATED (2.5") 650/300
Limited Gold Edition N o – 17
THE COURAGEOUS ONE, ANGEL WITH SHIP'S WHEEL ON A METAL BASE, GOLD-PLATED, IN A SPLINTER BOX (2.5") 650/300/LE
COLLECTION
ADDITIONS
651/3
THE RIGHT NOTE
This year a very special angel is joining the large angel orchestra. With its delicate tuning fork, the angel is tuning up for its performance – in the truest sense of the word. The metal of the tuning fork is placed on a hollow wooden box, thus allowing the tone to develop fully. A “tuneful” addition to any orchestra. And a wonderful gift for all musicians, for whom the tuning fork is an essential tool.
SPRING GREETING
The spring gentian the girl is holding in her hands is a beautiful bright blue color. It has been made with great attention to detail: the flower is formed of five large outer leaves and five tiny inner petals. The girl’s clothes are also enchanting. Over her dress she is wearing a light jacket to protect her from the cool spring breeze. On her head she has a hat whose “ear flaps” appear to sway in the wind. Her jacket deserves closer inspection. Its ornate pattern of some 80 delicate flowers makes it really eye-catching and is a triumph of skilled craftsmanship.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
A quick glance at our archives reveals an impressive array of adorable Easter figurines – including angels with Easter eggs. They were designed by Grete Wendt around 1924, and produced until probably the mid-1930s. The blue egg is decorated with fine lines, some translucent, some solid. A particular feature is that the wings of this angel are painted in a soft antiquerose and decorated with eleven golden dots, thus remaining true to the original historic sample. This special feature, together with the delicate embellishments on the Easter egg, gives the angel a childlike simplicity that brings joy, way beyond the festival of Easter.
GIRL WITH SPRING GENTIAN (5") 5248/30
ANGEL WITH TUNING FORK (2.5") 650/84
ANGEL WITH BLUE EASTER EGG, SITTING (1.5")
WITH
BOBBLE HAT
After almost 60 years in the Grand Sample Cabinet, the gnome with the sack on his back has returned to the collection. Designed by Grete Wendt in 1926, he is delighted to once again help his gnome friends around the house and garden. What he is carrying in his sack is a matter entirely for your imagination. Within the family of gnomes he is the only one that Grete Wendt gave a pom-pom to his red pointed hat. With his reintroduction, we retained this particular detail from the original sample.
COLLECTION
A HEAVENLY DRUMMER
The small Angel wearing Crown twirls its drumsticks energetically in the air and gives the beat for its musician friends. It is one of three musical members of this group of figurines, together with the Angels wearing Crowns playing the small trumpet and the lute. With its bright red robe and golden crown it was designed by Olly Wendt, née Sommer, pre-1937. This graceful yet joyfully childlike angel enchants music lovers and fans of stylish Christmas decorations alike.
BY CANDLELIGHT
By the light of the three candles, this small angel has settled down on a bench, proudly holding the candle arch in its hands. Its bright glow stands for hope, certainty and joy. Arranged together with its angel friends, small and large, you can create charming festive decorative scenes with this heavenly messenger.
TUNES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Softly the small angel coaxes a tune from its bandoneon to welcome in the New Year. It is perched on the green frame of the calendar which brings us twelve enchanting pictures. They invite us to discover, marvel and dream as the Blossom Kinder, angels and many other figurines tell their stories in beautifully shot pictures. The calendar comes complete with wooden frame and figurine. The calendar sheets and the angel can also be purchased separately.
ANGEL, SMALL, WITH CANDLE ARCH (2.25") 650/k/LB
ANGEL WEARING CROWN, WITH DRUM (2.25") 6235/8
COLLECTION
650/130/77
“ON CHRISTMAS TREES...
6307/33
...the candles glow” goes the German Christmas carol. Thanks to the angels from Wendt & Kühn, a great deal more goes on in the green branches of the Christmas tree. This small Marguerite Angel with her delicate feathered wings has taken on the task of decorating it herself. Carefully, she hangs a vintage Christmas tree bauble on a branch. The suspended Angel with Balalaika provides a musical accompaniment to this Christmas scene.
MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH ADVENT CALENDAR (1.5")
634/70/44
A CHARMING COUNTDOWN
During the Advent season there is no better way to count down the days to Christmas than to open the Advent calendar every day. That is why the Marguerite Angel is diligently preparing a calendar with 24 socks on a string, each hiding a little surprise. She has already added three miniature socks. It’s a good thing that she still has enough string left on the nostalgic-looking spool. The tiny socks, just a fraction of an inch in size, have been beautifully decorated by our painters. These fine details demonstrate once again how much love goes into the design and manufacture of every figurine from Wendt & Kühn.
OPEN DAYS AT WENDT & KÜHN
Experience
our skilled
craftsmanship
Would you like to experience at first hand the skill and craftsmanship that goes into making our new products, this year’s reintroduced items and many other figurines?
At our manufactory’s open days you can take a tour of the Wendt & Kühn workshops and look over the shoulders of our craftsmen and women.
The next available dates:
• Open days on 1st Advent: November 30 and December 01, 2024
• Open days on Mother’s Day: May 10 and 11, 2025
At the Wendt & Kühn manufactory, Grünhainichen, 10am to 5pm
LITTLE SUSPENDED ANGEL, WITH CHRISTMAS BAUBLE (1")
ANGEL WITH BALALAIKA, SUSPENDED (2")
A masterly mix OF PATTERNS
Their paint scheme could not be more fitting. The Three Wise Men, who joined the Wendt & Kühn Nativity Scene this year, enchant us with the detail of their robes that requires the highest level of craftsmanship. A visit to the paint shop shows why our painters need to be able to count very carefully and why it is sometimes an advantage to wobble a little.
Exactly 46 small yellow dots and 18 large ovals embellish the purple robe of King Melchior. 54 small and 19 large dots adorn his dark blue cloak. The painters have to dab their paint applicator, a fine wooden stick, carefully more than 130 times to place the dots and ovals in the designated place – thus remaining true to the original historic sample. No stencils or other aids are used. It takes fine motor skills and a well-trained eye to bring the pattern into perfect harmony.
But it is not simply the quantity of ornamentation that is remarkable, applying the coats of paint also requires extraordinary skill. In addition to the solid base coats, further thin coats of paint are applied that permit the colors of the base coat to shine through. This interplay between solid and translucent elements creates a most attractive contrast. And one that is something special. The ornamentation and flowers have to appear light and almost transparent, but in no way “blotchy” – a fine line to tread as the finished product shows.
At first glance the striking stripes on Kings Balthasar and Caspar look almost simple – but this is far from the truth. The stripes, applied in translucent paint, have to be distributed perfectly evenly over the surface area. King Caspar’s breeches are particularly tricky. If even one line is crooked, the whole pattern is put out. No mean task with a pair of breeches whose round contours already pose an additional challenge for the painter.
THE DECORATION ON THEIR CLOTHING is truly regal. The fine stripes and floral patterns, as well as the artistic ornamentation, demonstrate the highest level of craftsmanship.
KING MELCHIOR, KNEELING, WITH CLOAK (2.5")
5250/3k
KING BALTHASAR, STANDING, WITH CLOAK (3.5")
5250/4k
KING CASPAR, STANDING (3.25")
5250/5k
It is almost “reassuring” to learn that there is one pattern where a wobble is expressly allowed: the elliptical decorations on the back of King Balthasar’s red coat are painted in gentle wavy lines.
TRUE TO THE ORIGINALS
The sophisticated paint scheme for the kings was laid down by their designer Grete Wendt, who designed the nativity scene in 1910/11 as a commission for the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau during the semester of work experience she spent there. Their reintroduction in 2024 was preceded by intensive research and analysis of historic sketches, technical drawings and vintage sample figurines from different production years. We discovered variations in the postures, paint colors and decorations of the figurines. In choosing which to reintroduce to the current collection, we chose those that most corresponded to today’s taste and at the same time maintained tradition – without compromising the elaborate paint scheme. The artistic ornamentation was retained in all its intricate detail and now more than 110 years later, it still adorns the kings’ robes in a most impressive fashion.
BACKGROUND
The Nativity Scene is one of the few groups of figurines Grete Wendt designed before she founded Wendt & Kühn. Karl Schmidt, founder of the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau (the company was considered to be one of the most important manufacturers of furniture designed by well-known artists), gave her the commission to design a nativity scene. Shortly after she had designed the crib and the first samples had been made in 1911, the talented young designer exhibited it at the Christmas exhibition of the King Albert Museum in Chemnitz (today the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz). During the two-week exhibition her Nativity Scene attracted much attention from visitors.
By no means “ ”ROUTINE
INDIVIDUAL ONE-OFF PIECES ARE CREATED WITH FINESSE
Wendt & Kühn products are particularly well suited to be given as special gifts of timeless beauty and lasting value. But did you know that here in the workshops we can also fulfil individual requests by adding a personal message to selected figurines? This is precisely what “My Wendt & Kühn” is there for – to produce high-quality one-off pieces that are quite unique.
USING A FINE BRUSH the wording is applied to the base of this Goodwill Girl. Her friend, the Goodwill Boy, can also be personalized. He too can carry a message along with his letter and flowers.
The message is applied by our painters in beautiful hand-painted lettering, using fine brushstrokes. We have just the right figurine to carry your message for almost any occasion. The Stork with Baby is not just a delightful gift for new parents, you can also give it to the new arrival. There are many other figurines to convey your fond greetings: the Angels with Heart and Letter are experts in all matters of the heart, the Angel with Suitcase is the perfect travelling companion, the figurines with four-leaf clovers provide just the right degree of luck, and the Angel with Stave delivers “Happy Birthday” greetings on someone’s special day. This year it has joined the list of products that can be inscribed. Our figurines are always happy to undertake the role of friendly messenger –to congratulate someone on passing an exam, or simply to say “thank you”. The organ is a particularly special piece as there is space enough on the back of the instrument for longer messages.
THREE STEPS TO YOUR UNIQUE PIECE
❶ Choose a figurine from the “My Wendt & Kühn” selection.
❷ Formulate your personal message. A template on our website will help you with this and tells you the maximum number of characters allowed.
❸ Send your request to your specialist retailer, who will place the order with us.
HEARD AT THE “PAINT BOX”
Five painters in our workshops are dedicated to painting the inscriptions. Calmly and expertly the brush glides over the base. “And yet none of it is routine,” one of the painters tells us. “Knowing that the figurine we are inscribing is fulfilling a very personal request is a really lovely feeling.” Popular requests are “For Mom”, “All the Best” and, at New Year, “Good Luck”. One message in particular has stuck in the minds of the painters and
THE BASE OF THE
can be inscribed. It’s a matter of the heart: we offer the personalization service for this item free of charge. This pair of figurines is also available as two women or two men walking side by side under the beaded arch.
caused great hilarity throughout the department. The following words were requested for the back of an organ: “To the heirs: Woe betide you if you throw this away! We see everything.” Another bonus of this personalization work is that “We know all the latest trends in children’s names. Doing inscriptions on the Storks with Baby to mark the birth of a new arrival, means we are sitting directly at the source, so to speak,” says another painter. On some orders, however, even the most experienced painters have to take a deep breath: whenever the text is in foreign characters. They have already had Greek, Russian and Korean on their painting stations –and have mastered them with the necessary respect and bravura. After all, these skilled painters can create inscriptions in any desired language and character set. For the owner and recipient, every figurine becomes a really personal one-off piece – at “My Wendt & Kühn”.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT PRODUCTS to choose from in “My Wendt & Kühn” – from angels, Blossom Kinder and Goodwill Children to clocks and the organ. You will find them on our website. Here you can also find out how many characters you are allowed for your inscription, and use the online template to see if your message fits. Simply scan the QR Code or visit www.wendt-kuehn.us/ assortment/my-wk.
LOVING COUPLE
Using the power OF A VERY SPECIAL Eleven Dot Angel
Last year Wendt & Kühn celebrated the 100th anniversary of the legendary Eleven Dot Angels. The first of which were created in the fall of 1923 by our company founder Grete Wendt. As we delved deeply into the history, manufacture and very nature of these angels, we understood more about their ability to touch the hearts of people all over the world with their childlike
qualities, their effortless ease and their gaiety. At the workshops we received more than 900 letters containing very personal stories about people’s favorite angels in response to our appeal. Many recalled happy childhood memories of being given their figurine by someone special and when the angels were brought out and set up by the family at Christmas.
The angel is available with both blond and dark hair, and with the candle in the right or left hand.
ANGEL WITH COLORED DOTS ON ITS WINGS, 25 YEARS OF THE WORLD CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION (2.5") 650/2024/WCF/LE
The anniversary of the Eleven Dot Angels both motivated and gave us a sense of obligation to continue to create ideational values with our figurines, to keep childhood memories alive, and to bring joy to young and old alike in the future, too. And so the idea was born for a very special kind of commitment –a partnership with the World Childhood Foundation. A charity founded in 1999 by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, which has since then been committed to strengthening children’s rights. Here we see a direct connection with the figurines from our workshops, who have been met with love and a feeling of security all around the world. But the harmony and childlike innocence conveyed by our figurines must be set against the harsh reality that not all children in this world enjoy a sheltered and carefree childhood. This is where the obligation of the “grown-ups” starts, to continue to see the world through the eyes of the “young ones” and also ensure that children are able to grow up in a sheltered, safe, carefree and loving environment. In our partnership with the World Childhood Foundation, it is our wish to support the charity’s goals and make a difference to children throughout the world.
In doing so we are also honoring the legacy of the founder of our company and all those who supported and later continued her work. Even though Grete Wendt never had any children of her own, she loved them. She was a loving aunt and great-aunt to the children in her family, she always welcomed boys and girls into her workshops and she expressed her love for children in her designs. “I know that she would wholeheartedly embrace the work of the World Childhood Foundation in protecting children and our joint venture,” asserts Claudia Baer, General Partner of Wendt & Kühn KG and Grete Wendt’s great niece, with confidence.
AN ANGEL AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
In order to support the work of the Foundation, we are making use of a figurine that is famous throughout the world and is most closely associated with Wendt & Kühn: the Eleven Dot Angel. We hope to use its inner strength to reach the hearts of collectors, retailers and many more besides. The angel that we designed specifically for this partnership and who is to carry the message of the Foundation out into the world is truly a very special angel.
“We are deeply grateful for all the support that they are generating for World Childhood and thank Wendt & Kühn. This support is incredibly meaningful and will significantly contribute to our mission of protecting children from child sexual abuse and exploitation.”
MARY L. PULIDO, PHD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION USA, NEW YORK, USA
For the first time in its history of more than 100 years it has eleven different colored dots on its green wings instead of the traditional eleven white dots. With this color variation we are incorporating one of the Foundation’s central design elements as a visible sign of our shared values. The angel carries a candle in its hand. Its light being a sign of hope and warmth.
This special edition angel is available in a limited edition of 25,000 pieces to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the World Childhood Foundation. The individual serial number of each piece is printed on the underside of the figurine, in the leaflet that accompanies it and on its green gift box.
Doing good together: four euros from the sale of every angel will go to the World Childhood Foundation. The money will go directly to fund the Foundation’s projects. Providing worldwide ideational and material support in a partnership of shared goals and values.
ELEVEN COLORED DOTS
Seen through today’s eyes, the idea of painting eleven different colored dots on the wings of an Eleven Dot Angel seems obvious and almost logical. At the outset, however, this was not at all an obvious choice. It was a journey embarked upon from the heart, and with much courage. When, early in the summer of 2023, our designer was given the task of creating an Eleven Dot Angel to carry the Foundation’s message out into the world, the ideas initially went in many different directions. What was clear was that colored dots – a visual identifying feature of the Foundation – should “accompany” the angel. Colored dots on the base plate of the angel, a ball arch held by the angel and other suggestions were tried out – and rejected. And then suddenly the idea was born of using the most striking feature of the angel to incorporate the Foundation’s design elements: its wings with the eleven dots.
Eleven white dots on green wings – this is how the angel is known to collectors and enthusiasts all over the world. “But could we mix things up a bit?” we asked ourselves. What would Grete Wendt have said? Although she herself played with the colors of the Eleven Dot Angels and dressed them in blue, yellow, orange and green in the mid-1940s, the legendary eleven dots were always painted in one color –mostly white and occasionally gold. And yet it soon became clear that there could be no more impressive incorporation of the Foundation’s colored dots than displaying the dots on the wings in those very colors. The colored dots of the Foundation that now feature on the wings of the Eleven Dot Angel each represent one of the many important articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. And so this year for the very first time we have an Eleven Dot Angel with multi-colored dots on its wings. Worthy of carrying an important message to the world, using the power of its special wings. Courageous, full of hope and childlike joy. And with the “blessing” of Grete Wendt, who always had the well-being of children at heart and would certainly have approved of this design variation.
THE WORK OF THE WORLD CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION
The World Childhood Foundation was founded in 1999 by Queen Silvia of Sweden to safeguard the right of children to a safe and loving childhood, and to work in particular to improve the living conditions for children at risk of becoming victims of violence or sexual abuse. There are four affiliated foundations of the World Childhood Foundation, in the USA, Sweden, Germany and Brazil currently working with more than 60 partner organizations in 14 countries.
The World Childhood Foundation supports projects of other organizations and provides funds for services for children in need. The focus of these projects is:
• Prevention: Children and adolescents are educated about CSAE (Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation). They are given knowledge and tools with which they can protect themselves and others from attacks.
• Reaction: Support and help for those affected in appropriate support centers with trained personnel and contacts.
• Online Safety: Explaining to children and adolescents the risks and dangers of the internet. Prevention through education for first responders, professionals, parents and families.
• Research project “United States Out of the Shadows Index”: An initiative of Economist Impact in cooperation with Childhood USA. Evaluating the measures and shortcomings of individual states in relation to CSEA prevention and response systems.
• Perpetrator Prevention: Counselling and therapy for people so they do not become perpetrators (again).
The Foundation’s charitable work is financed solely through donations. To learn more about the Foundation, the projects of the World Childhood Foundation and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child visit www.childhood-usa.org. Detailed information about its joint venture with Wendt & Kühn can be found at www.wendt-kuehn.us/childhood.
AT THE WORKSTATION: Eight pots of paint, four applicators of differing sizes and a sample that shows which colors go where. A short film on our website gives insights into how the colored dots are applied to the wings. Simply scan the QR Code at the end of this page.
HOW THE WINGS GET THEIR DOTS
When the painters in our workshops apply the eleven white dots to the wings of the Eleven Dot Angels, they almost work on automatic pilot: a fine stick is dipped in white paint and four dots are placed in a row. The wooden stick is dipped in paint again and another four dots are applied. Then a dip for a third time to paint the final three dots. Next it’s the second wing’s turn. The process is completely different when the colored dots of the Childhood Angel are applied. Eight paints are prepared – a bright yellow, orange and red, a dark pink, a purple, a pale and dark blue, and a green. On the table sits a sample that shows exactly which color goes where on the wing and what size it should be, as not all the dots are the same diameter. Normally the different sizes are achieved through the amount of paint on the wooden stick reducing as it is applied, so the diameter of the dot gets smaller, but the painters cannot count on this helpful technique when it comes to the different colored dots. The different sizes can only be achieved by using four wooden applicators of differing sizes. So for each new dot it is not only the color that changes but usually the applicator too. “We’ve never done this before,” says Kerstin Lorenz, the master painter in one of the paint shops. “We really have to slow down, so that we remember it’s not the usual rows of three or four,” she admits with a smile. “Of course it’s more work, but it’s work we are happy to do – for such a beautifully colorful angel delivering such an important message. It’s a project really close to our hearts.”
“It is the responsibility of us all”
When, during the 1970s and 80s, colorful pages from various West German publications “found” their way to Grünhainichen, it came as quite a surprise to see pictures of the Swedish royal family with music boxes from Wendt & Kühn. Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, in particular, still feels a close affinity with the figurines from our workshops to this day. At the start of the partnership between the World Childhood Foundation and Wendt & Kühn, Her Majesty sent us this message in October 2023:
For me, these small Eleven Dot Angels embody so much: confidence, joy and childhood itself. These values that Wendt & Kühn themselves uphold are what have led to this angel now taking on a very special meaning for the World Childhood Foundation that I founded.
The partnership between Wendt & Kühn and the World Childhood Foundation is characterized by a shared vision. To create a world in which every child can grow up in safety, with love and security. It is the responsibility of us all to ensure that every child is given the chance to enjoy a happy and healthy life. I, too, feel personally responsible for this and have been pursuing this important goal through my Foundation for nearly a quarter of a century.
The World Childhood Foundation is passionately and tirelessly committed to protecting children, particularly from sexual violence – in Germany, Sweden and the rest of the world. In Wendt & Kühn we have found a partner that shares our commitment. Together we will support projects and programs that help children in need and strengthen children’s rights.
It is my wish that this vision inspires us all and allows us to focus on children and their well-being every day. May love and care for children be always in our hearts.
HER MAJESTY QUEEN SILVIA OF SWEDEN sent a message to mark the start of the partnership.
Wendt & Kühn on INSTAGRAM
Here tradition meets the modern world: on our Instagram channel @wendtundkuehn we invite you to let yourself be inspired by our magical images and our creative ideas for decorations and gifts. Our posts on the history of the company and current activity in the workshops allow you to travel back in history and to the site of our manufactory – even if you live far away.
Since we joined Instagram in the fall of 2021, we have gained more than 7,200 followers from all over the world, who all share a passion for the figurines and music boxes made by Wendt & Kühn. We are delighted to keep in contact with them and to see them networking with one another. Truly a heavenly community! Several times a week, in both German and English, we offer them exciting glimpses behind the scenes of the workshops and insights into historic and current events at Wendt & Kühn. Over the years, that already amounts to some 600 posts. Their chronological order in the profile permits you to take a short journey through the most recent history of the workshops or simply browse through the beautiful images.
WHERE DOES OUR INSPIRATION COME FROM?
Here at Wendt & Kühn we are really lucky in terms of “content” as we have access to a mass of research into the history of the company and our brand. We are pleased to be close to our fans and to have the opportunity to transmit what is happening today throughout all areas of the workshops. Whether it’s insights into the production of new products, fantastic displays from both our retail outlets in Grünhainichen and Seiffen, interesting
finds from our well maintained company archives or special moments from Wendt & Kühn events – it gives us the greatest pleasure to be able to share all this with our fans.
PARTICULARLY POPULAR
Naturally it is the angels, Blossom Kinder and Friends that particularly enchant their viewers on Instagram over and over again. Often it is the posts with creative decorative ideas and arrangements to copy that get the most positive feedback. But one post in particular grabbed our followers’ attention – and this one doesn’t require any craft supplies. Rather it takes us into a truly magical world. A world where our Eleven Dot Angels play their instruments themselves and come to life in the most charming way. We are talking about our Happy Birthday clip, produced to mark the 100th birthday of the Eleven Dot Angels in 2023, which since then has been sent via social networks to serenade people all over the world on their birthdays (more about the clip on page 20). You could almost say that it went viral.
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
Of course we also have a host of exciting posts lined up for you in the future, too, so that our figurines and stories can keep you company in your everyday life – during a
short break at work, to take your mind off things, or in the evening when you are comfortably relaxing on the couch. Even though many of the posts cover current events, we can reveal one thing already. Looking towards Advent there are good things to look forward to this year too. We are already planning a digital Advent Calendar in both German and English –as we always do – that will prepare you for Christmas day by day.
Would you like to visit our Instagram account @wendtundkuehn? You can easily access it on your smartphone using the QR Code.
“I
want my angels AROUND ME”
Anne Lafferty would never put her Wendt & Kühn angels in her checked baggage on an airplane – and she’s glad that her husband is good at taking hints
When Anne Lafferty was ten years old, she started playing the flute. Her mom was looking for flute playing angels as a gift for her daughter – and came across the Angel Musicians by Wendt & Kühn. This was back in the seventies, and items from East Germany were a real rarity in the US. Her mom bought her the Angel with Flute and the Angel with Harp, and Anne has kept these treasures close to her heart ever since. Many years later, after Anne met her husband Richard, she went to a store in Winston-Salem, a city in North Carolina with many German connections – and saw those angels again. “Gosh,” she exclaimed, “I would love to have more of these!” Fortunately, her husband was always good at taking hints. In the years that followed, he went to great lengths to make her wish come true. “He would buy me one or two for my birthday, one or two for Christmas, until suddenly I had this enormous orchestra,” Anne recalls. She arranges her angels on the large Angel Mountain – but even that has become too small for the vast collection she now calls her own. “I’ve always loved these angels,” Anne says. “There’s something about those wings with the dots on them. You can instantly recognize a Wendt & Kühn figurine. They are unlike any other. The colors, the richness of the paint – they are such works of art.”
Her husband gifted her some rare treasures – a richly painted Madonna and lots of personalized items such as the Loving Couple under Arch with their wedding date on it, and four Storks with Baby. “Whenever one of our grandchildren was born, Richard bought me a stork with their name and birth date on it.” One of her favorites is the Organ Music Box. “When our daughter was in high school, she went on a trip to Germany. One day, we got a really early morning phone call from her. You know, one of those where someone you love is traveling and you think, ‘Uh oh, something’s wrong’! I grabbed the phone and she said ‘Mom, everything’s fine, but I need to talk to Dad.’ She had seen this organ and it was way out of her budget. But she really wanted to get it for me, so she bought it with Daddy’s help.”
for
When Anne started receiving the eleven dot post magazine, she realized: There’s a dedicated Wendt & Kühn store you can actually visit! So, a couple of years ago, Anne and Richard visited Grünhainichen and Seiffen. “It was the trip of a lifetime,” Anne recalls. “We got a lot of personal attention and a very personal tour of the store. And, of course, we came home with lots of goodies.” There was no way Anne would have put these treasures in her checked baggage on the plane – she made room in her carry-on to safely fly the angels back to America. “These angels are so special to me – especially because of the connection to my mother. She passed away when I was in my early thirties, and she really nurtured my love of music,” Anne Lafferty explains. “And then my husband – it’s such an expression of his love for me that he’s been buying Wendt & Kühn pieces for me for about 35 years. When he gave me the Madonna for Christmas, I cried.” For her later years, Anne Lafferty has one big wish: “I told my daughter, if I ever have to go to a nursing home, please bring me my angels. I just want them around me.”
WHEN HER HUSBAND RAN OUT OF ANGELS , he started buying Blossom Girls
her. Anne adores both her Wendt & Kühn collection and her dog, Harper Lee Lafferty, named after the famous American novelist.
BY NUMBERS
Children’s Book
beautifully illustrated pictures draw readers young and old into the Children’s Book “How the Angel Got His Eleven Dots” and into the world of the Eleven Dot Angels. Hand-drawn imaginatively and in great detail, each new page brings us wonder and invites us to embark on a voyage of discovery. They sensitively illustrate the journey the small shawm player undertakes as he goes through the workshops of the Wendt & Kühn manufactory. Here, the angel must pass a number of tests in order to earn his distinctive eleven white dots and finally qualify to take his place in the orchestra. For he had slipped away from “his” painter Karoline’s work station a little too impatiently – without the dots on his wings. The 32-page book tells a story of adventure, friendship and shared values. And also the desire that dreams may come true. For all children and teenagers who like reading. For parents and grandparents who like reading out loud. And
ANGELS SERENADE US VIA VIDEO CLIP
BOOK “HOW THE ANGEL GOT HIS ELEVEN DOTS”, HARDCOVER, 32 PAGES, FOR READERS FROM 5 TO 99 (11 x 9.75 x 0.25") EB2015/Eng
for all who look for the best in others and allow their souls to be moved by stories and pictures.
By the way: 25 small blue birds – loyal companions at the side of the shawm-playing angel – have hidden themselves within the illustrations. Sometimes wearing a bobble hat and a scarf in the snow, sometimes flying over urgently carrying a doctor’s bag, sometimes resting in an angel’s chef’s hat, sometimes building a nest out of sawdust on the wood turner’s lathe. Loving details to make us smile.
JUST PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS: The book is also available in an attractive gift box as a set including the Angel with Shawm, the lovable hero of the book – a heavenly surprise for Christmas or any other occasion throughout the year.
SET/75/EBENG
Happy Birthday to You
These four words, paired with a catchy melody, deliver birthday greetings all over the world – and since last fall, our Eleven Dot Angels are doing this too. In a beautifully animated film they can now be seen serenading birthday boys and girls, both young and old. Composed of two violins, a cello and a double bass, this enchanting quartet produces heavenly sounds for this special day as they draw their bows across the strings smiling, and finally winking, at the person whose birthday it is.
Countless steps were needed to bring the angels “to life”. First, the figurines were modelled virtually in 3D and then hand-painted on the computer. Next a skeleton model was created for each of the figurines so they could smile using both cheeks, give a cheeky wink and tap their feet as they become engrossed in the music. Finally all the lights, movement and camera tracking shots were brought together to make a film – a total of 1,050 frames.
How would you like to surprise someone on their birthday with this enchanting film? You can find the birthday serenade at www.wendt-kuehn.us/happy-birthday or by scanning the QR Code. You can share it with your nearest and dearest via email, WhatsApp or Facebook.
European Capital of Culture 2025
Never before have our workshops been so close to a European Capital of Culture. Chemnitz lies a mere 15.5 miles from the village where Grete Wendt founded her company in 1915. Combining a visit to the third largest city in Saxony with an outing to Grünhainichen is an obvious choice. Admittedly, when you hear the title European Capital of Culture 2025, Chemnitz may not be the first place you think of. Your thoughts may stray rather towards Paris, Milan, Stockholm – or even nearby Dresden, the baroque and former royal city where our company founder Grete Wendt once studied. Or to the historic trade fair city of Leipzig, in western Saxony. Yet it is the seemingly unremarkable city of Chemnitz that holds the title for 2025 – an industrial city with some 250,000 inhabitants, and just 30 minutes by car from the workshops in Grünhainichen.
Why are cities so far away from wellknown metropolises being nominated? What is clear is that it is not popular tourist attractions or a prominent landscape of high culture that characterizes what makes a European Capital of Culture. Far more, the award of the title – often several years in advance – has to do with becoming a Capital of Culture, not already being one. The focus is therefore on a city’s potential and the development process leading up to the designation as a Capital of Culture, rather than on the status of the city when the title is awarded. The aim of the Capital of Culture initiative is to highlight the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe, celebrate the cultural features Europeans share, increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area and foster the contribution of culture to the development of cities. It is therefore not surprising that the European Commission nominated Chemnitz as one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2025, alongside the Slovenian city of Nova Gorica and its neighboring counterpart Gorizia in Italy. And the spirit of Europe is already to be felt in Chemnitz. Even before the official start of the Capital of Culture year, numerous events, art exhibitions, small and large cultural festivals and music events are taking place. All these initiatives and projects are united under the Cultural City motto “C the Unseen”. Things previously unseen and undiscovered will be made visible – people, places and initiatives that until now have never been the focus of (tourist) attention.
Further information on Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025, and a preview of the Chemnitz 2025 program can be found at www.chemnitz2025.de/en.
100 Years of the Marguerite Angels
Delicate and usually less than two inches tall, what they hold in their hands is even tinier: a bag of roasted almonds, a telephone, a nutcracker and Christmas tree decorations, all in miniature… These dainty Marguerite Angels appear so fragile with their childlike innocence and yet at the same time they radiate an irresistible charm – whether standing, sitting or suspended on a thread. Their many and varied activities make them sought-after collector’s items, treasured keepsakes and charming gifts. They capture the hearts of young and old alike – and have been doing so for nigh on 100 years.
The Marguerite Angels were “born” on February 2, 1925. This was the day on which Olly Sommer, later Wendt, took up her pencil and sketched the first small creature in a white dress with blue and white wings and a crown of Marguerites in their blonde hair. She may well have been inspired by her memories of the Wendt & Kühn garden in summer and the song festivals in her home town of Riga. They were followed in 1929 by three standing angels to whom she gave a cake, flowers and two candles. Years later the Marguerite Angels conquered the skies as Christmas tree decorations: one suspended figurine joined the collection in 1935, and in 1958 a small angel in a gold-colored ring swung backwards and forwards on evergreen branches for the first time. This series has been constantly added to since 2009.
The number of these heavenly messengers has now swelled to a veritable host numbering some 200, all of whom will be celebrating a major anniversary in 2025 with, amongst other things, a special exhibition at Wendt & Kühn World in Grünhainichen documenting the wide range and history of these figurines and an anniversary figurine worthy of the occasion.
LEAVING THE COLLECTION AT THE END OF THE YEAR | 2024
Farewell
The figurines shown here have been on sale through our retailers this year for the last time. They will now return to the workshop’s historic Grand Sample Cabinet for at least five years. As this eleven dot post goes to print, some of these items have already been completely bought up by our Wendt & Kühn specialist retailers. It is only through them that you will be able to find out whether they are still available.
TWIN PAIR IN CHRISTENING GOWNS (3") 5322/1
MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH PYRAMID (1.5") 634/70/22
ON PEDESTALS, 1 PAIR (3") 5277/650/P1
MUSIC BOX “CHRISTMAS TREE”, WITH 36-NOTE MUSICAL MOVEMENT (10") 5336/1A
MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH WINDMILL (1.5") 634/70/23
ON PEDESTALS, 1 PAIR (3") 5277/650/P2
IMPRINT eleven dot post · 8 th Edition · Grünhainichen, Germany, August 2024
MARGUERITE ANGEL, SITTING, WITH STAR AND PAINTBRUSH (1.5") 634/70/24
