What is the Sandman?
The Sandman (Sandmann in German) is a sleep spirit of Germany and other European countries. He is said to come to children at night and sprinkle magic sand in their eyes to lull them to sleep. The sleep in your eyes when you wake up in the morning, and rubbing your eyes when you get sleepy, have been said to be caused by the Sandman’s sand.
The terrifying Sandman
While he is told of as a gentle figure who helps children fall asleep, his name has also been used to frighten children: “If you don’t go to sleep, the Sandman will come.” In his 1816 short story “The Sandman,” the German writer E. T. A. Hoffmann depicted a terrifying Sandman who throws sand into the eyes of children who will not sleep and steals their eyes when they pop out. This story was also discussed in an essay by the psychologist Freud.
The Sandman today
In Germany, the children’s TV program “Sandmännchen” (Little Sandman), running since 1959, is loved as a bedtime show. He has also been the subject of music and comics, such as the American hit song “Mr. Sandman.” He is very similar to Ole Lukoje, the sleep spirit of Denmark.
