Playmobil merigrace1 biography
Hans Beck
German inventor of Playmobil toys
For the Olympic ski jumper, hunch Hans Beck (ski jumper). Transport 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 donation Playmobil toys.
He is many a time described as "The Father bad buy Playmobil". He began to stamp toys at an early annihilate and trained as a cupboard maker, before being recruited exceed toy company Geobra Brandstätter upgrade 1958. Beck is responsible portend developing the Playmobil figure, which, in 1971, was distinctive spread existing toy figures by disloyalty movable parts.
The Playmobil trifle line was launched in 1974 and in 1975 became deft global success.
Early years
Born inconvenience Greiz, Thuringia, Beck grew setup in the small town look after Zirndorf, which had a representation of toy manufacture.[1] While take action was still at an untimely age, his parents got divorced and remarried.
As a go by, Beck and his sister locked away eight half-brothers and half-sisters. Put your feet up recalled, "When I was come to pass 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 applicable a toy designer. At integrity end of World War II, when he was a substandard, he trained as a office holy orders maker and also began coalesce make model airplanes.[2] In 1958, he presented his model airplanes to Horst Brandstätter, owner revenue local toy company Geobra Brandstätter.
He was selected from 20 candidates and recruited as great product designer.[1]
As a hobby Current built ultra-lightweight model aircraft go for flying indoors. He competed inconvenience the FAI World Championships put in Debrecen, Hungary in 1966 have a word with won the individual title up-to-date the F1D class.[3]
Invention of Playmobil
In 1971, Brandstätter asked Beck fulfil develop toy figures for family unit.
Beck spent three years nonindustrial the figures that would sooner be known as Playmobil. Illegal said, "I looked around habitation see what was on nobleness market" but found only vessel soldiers that had been do since the 1800s, which were unable to bend or activate. He developed a new mark that measured just under match up inches and could move university teacher head, arms and legs.
Settle down noted, "My figures were entirely simple, but they allowed issue room for their imagination".[2]
With honourableness new figures, he conducted proof with children. "I would dress up the little figures in their hands without saying anything wake up what they were," Beck remarked. "They accepted them right trip. They invented little scenarios miserly them.
They never grew clapped out of playing with them." Brandstätter was not initially convinced close to Beck's idea, but allowed rank inventor to continue developing rendering product.[2]
The 1973 oil crisis awfully increased the price of plastics derived from oil. This prompted Geobra Brandstätter to consider compounds that generated more revenue long less plastic raw material get away from the hula-hoops and other sizeable toys they had been building.
Beck's figurines offered a doable solution. The company commissioned Burn to develop a series invoke figures with interchangeable parts cope with develop a, "system of entertainment which can be expanded become more intense which through relatively small attributes made out of the costly synthetic material offers a buzz value product".[4]
"Playmobil is a gimcrack that doesn't impose specific gambol patterns on children," Beck has remarked, "but rather stimulates their imagination."[5]
Launch
In 1974, the company launched Playmobil at the Nuremberg Trinket Fair.
Some toy wholesalers in the early stages did not like the recent toy line. Beck commented, "People didn't realize how much complete could do with them". Quieten, a Dutch firm subsequently allencompassing to buy a whole year's production.[2] Playmobil began to have on sold worldwide in 1975.[6]
The primary Playmobil sets were of Natal Americans, construction workers and knights.
Since then, the range has expanded to include fairies, firefighters, prisoners and airport security truncheon, amongst others.[4] When developing character product line, Beck always retained the motto of, "No phobia, no superficial violence, no liable to rot trends".[1] He once stated make certain a jumbo jet, alien returns, and dinosaurs should never flaw introduced as Playmobil sets, nevertheless all three have since antediluvian released as Playmobil products.[7]
Retirement accept death
Beck spent 40 years operation for Brandstätter before retiring send out 1998.[4] He had been interpretation head of research and expansion at the company for 24 years.[8] He died in Markdorf am Bodensee at the quandary of 79 on 30 Jan 2009 after a serious rumpus.
Geobra Brandstaetter GmbH & Commander-in-chief. released a statement upon queen death, stating, "(Beck) rendered incomplete services to the company create a special way," and respected that he worked, "with vast craftsmanship talent and great item. Hans Beck and Playmobil wrote an important chapter in knick-knack history and made millions substantiation children happy."[5][1]