Extremely Rare - Wilhelm Busch - Max und Moritz — “Ο Παύλος κι ο Μικές” — ca. 1920s — Dimitrakos — First Greek Edition - 1920

Original early-20th-century Greek adaptation of Wilhelm Busch’s classic Max und Moritz, published by the important Athenian publisher Petros Dimitrakos.
Signed with the pseudonym ΦΑK, this rare edition adapts Busch’s iconic mischievous duo into the Greek-titled Ο Παύλος κι ο Μικές, preserving the original drawings while rendering the text into Greek (polytonic).

This edition is the earliest known Greek renderings of Max und Moritz. No other Greek translation from this early period is widely documented, and later Greek editions only appear many decades later (e.g., a bilingual modern translation in 2002).
This makes the present volume a culturally significant and highly collectible piece of early Greek children’s literature.

Details

Author: Wilhelm Busch (translated/adapted by ΦΑΚ)

Publisher: Petros Dimitrakos

Place: Athens

Year: ca. 1920s

Edition: First Greek edition

Language: Greek (polytonic)

Pages: 35

Binding: Original softcover with original lithographic cover

Dimensions: 22.5 cm × 18 cm

Condition: Good (–) vintage condition, with age-related wear. Please refer to the photos for a full assessment.

About Wilhelm Busch & Max und Moritz

Wilhelm Busch (1832–1908) is one of the most influential figures in the history of European cartooning and satirical illustration. His work combined humorous verse with sequential drawings, making him a pioneer of the modern comic strip.

Published in 1865, Max und Moritz became one of the foundational works of children’s illustrated literature. Its rhythmic mischievous tales influenced later creators such as the Katzenjammer Kids, and it remains one of the most translated and beloved works in German cultural history.

This Greek adaptation testifies to the early dissemination of Busch’s work beyond central Europe, and its rarity highlights the still-unknown reception of illustrated satirical literature in Greece during the Interwar period.


A highly uncommon early Greek adaptation of Wilhelm Busch’s Max und Moritz, issued by the prestigious publisher Petros Dimitrakos. Translated under the pseudonym ΦΑΚ., this edition preserves Busch’s original drawings while recasting the story title as Ο Παύλος κι ο Μικές for Greek readers.

This volume is very likely the earliest — and possibly the only surviving First Greek Edition of Busch’s masterpiece.

A significant find for collectors of early Greek printed matter, children’s literature, and the international reception of Wilhelm Busch.

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