Sondermann is a cartoon character of the painter and cartoonist Bernd Pfarr, which appeared, until August 1994, in a column of the same name by the writer Simone Borowiak and, from 1987 to August 2004, regularly in the satirical magazine Titanic. Model for the name was Gerhard Sondermann, the first publisher of Titanic.
Sondermann is a creation of an illustrator, who, as Bernd Pfarr himself once said, wants "to drive reality out of the pictures" (German: "den Bildern die Realität austreiben").
The world of Sondermann is subject to its own, individual laws: "Negro scrubbing" (German: "Negerschrubben") is a traditional ritual in Sondermann's company, Sondermann and his chef subdue their hunger by "huddling softly together" (German: "sich weich aneinander schmiegen"), consuming a Schnitzel or taking out the trash are common yoga exercises, and Sondermann defeats God (German: "den lieben Gott") in Tennis.
Sondermann's world is populated by strange creatures:
a neighbor, Schulze, who often "comes to detonate" (German: "zum Sprengen kommt");God, as mentioned above;the blowdryer-armed super hero Supererpel, who is not actually that heroic;the brothers Strittmatter, also neighbors of Sondermann, who are penguins and "detonate saurians in their spare time" (German: "in ihrer Freizeit Saurier sprengen");the by Sondermann for inexplicable reasons unbeloved Mr. Sharp, "lord over seven flies" (German: "Herr über sieben Fliegen"), also a penguin and "newest stallion" (German: "neuester Stecher") of Sondermann's mother;Herr Detlev Siehlbeck, who always carries a dead fish with him and expects that one pets it;the small dog Willi, whose "freethinking remarks about the preparation of his food" (German: "freigeistige Ausführungen der Zubereitung seines Fresschens betreffend") impress the Weltgeist so much that they cause metaphysical levitation in it;and not least Sondermann himself: accountant, single and eager to learn, with a pronounced artistic side, while not insusceptible for erotic or homoerotic attractions.Early Sondermann episodes mostly limited themselves on the master-servant-relationship between Sondermann and his chef. Out of this basic conflict, grew only over time the pandemonium of the above listed characters. According to writer Robert Gernhardt, the character very quickly developed a "life of its own" (German: "Eigenleben"), for which even the editorial staff of Titanic was not prepared.
Since 2004 Bernd Pfarr's character name also denotes an audience prize for comics awarded by and at the Frankfurt Book Fair in collaboration with the magazine Comixene, the Frankfurter Rundschau, and Spiegel Online. Some of the prizes include a cash sum.
International comic: Asterix and the Class Act by Albert Uderzo and René GoscinnyDomestic comic: Nichtlustig 2 by Joscha SauerInternational manga/manhwa: Angel Sanctuary by Kaori YukiDomestic manga: Without Identity by Sascha SchätzchenNewcomer 2004: Joscha Sauer (Nichtlustig 2)International comic: Onkel Dagobert by Don RosaDomestic comic: Die Chronik der Unsterblichen by Wolfgang Hohlbein, Benjamin von Eckartsberg and Thomas von KummantInternational manga/manhwa: One Piece by Eiichiro OdaDomestic manga: Dystopia by Judith ParkCartoon: Shit happens! by Ralph RutheNewcomer 2005: Arne Bellstorf (Acht, neun, zehn)Bernd-Pfarr-special-prize for comical art: Rudi HurzlmeierInternational comic: Sin City by Frank MillerDomestic comic: Adolf – der Bonker by Walter MoersInternational manga/manhwa: Shinshi Doumei Cross by Arina TanemuraDomestic manga: Jibun-Jishin by Nina WernerCartoon: Shit happens! by Ralph RutheNewcomer 2006: Moki (Asleep in a foreign place)Bernd-Pfarr-special-prize for comical art: Greser & LenzInternational comic: Calvin & Hobbes by Bill WattersonDomestic comic: Cash – I see a darkness by Reinhard KleistInternational manga/manhwa: Death Note by Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi ŌbaDomestic manga: Gothic Sports by Anike HageCartoon: Shit happens! by Ralph RutheNewcomer 2007: Dirk SchwiegerBernd-Pfarr-special-prize for comical art: Rattelschneck (Stulli, das Pausenbrot)International comic: Prinz Eisenherz by Hal FosterDomestic comic: Die Sache mit Sorge by Isabel KreitzInternational manga/manhwa: Volume 44 of One Piece by Eiichiro OdaDomestic manga: Stupid Story 1 by Anna HollmannCartoon: Shit happens! by Ralph RutheNewcomer 2008: Barbara YelinBernd-Pfarr-special-prize for comical art: Stephan RürupInternational comic: Der Dunkle Turm by Jae Lee et al. (illustration), Peter David and Robin Furth (text), based on The Dark Tower by Stephen KingDomestic comic: Prototyp by Ralf KönigInternational manga/manhwa: Volume 48 of One Piece by Eiichiro OdaDomestic manga: Stupid Story 2 by Anna HollmannCartoon: Nichtlustig 4 by Joscha SauerNewcomer 2009: Michael MeierBernd-Pfarr-special-prize for comical art: Kamagurka
