By Ralf Kuhling
Peter Maffay (73) is someone who, in addition to his rock star existence, not only talks, but does and does. And also something for children.
He took in Ukrainian mothers with their children on his estate in Bavaria. And together with his partner Hendrikje Balsmeyer (35), he has just published another book: “Anouk, your next adventure is calling!” (arsEdition).
And this Friday, the newest adventure of the little green dragon invented by Maffay will be released with the double CD “Tabaluga – The world is wonderful” (RCA). This time he is fighting against what concerns children and parents: the climate catastrophe.
BZ met Maffay, the dedicated and versatile man, for an interview at Sony’s Berlin branch.
BZ: Are children today made aware of the major human issues much earlier than we were?
Peter Maffay: Oh yes, 20 years ago nobody would have thought of talking about the climate with a four-year-old, five-year-old kid. But when I hear all the things my little daughter brings back from kindergarten on topics of this kind, it’s enormous.
Don’t you have to be careful not to point your finger at the children too much?
The point of no return for the climate is not a pointing finger story, but a scientific finding. If we exceed that, the effects are obvious. We try to treat the subject in a childish way. And we will no longer have as many opportunities that we can still use to create a corrective for certain developments.
Tabaluga also addresses the issue of how we deal with waste.
Rightly so! When we suffocate in the garbage, when these components end up in the sea, when the animals then eat them, when we then eat the animals, then we are dealing directly with this cycle. To point this out, you can call it a finger!
Maffay with the little green dragon Tabaluga. He invented it in 1983 Photo: Ralph Lahma Promotional
When you work with children, do you ever think: there are so many beautiful things that I probably won’t experience anymore with my age?
Yes, there are such considerations. I’ve been with Hendrikje for seven years now. And as a father who is actually quite late, I experience another child at a very advanced stage.
Great luck!
However! And I experience it with more intensity than before. My son is now nineteen and I’ve missed some of those precious moments with him.
The new Tabaluga album “The World is Wonderful” will be released on Friday Photo: RCA
Because you weren’t at home enough, didn’t have important community experiences?
Yes, quite simply: yes. I was very busy with myself.
Their daughter Anouk was born in 2018. Will you be a dad again?
I don’t think so. Viewed soberly, my time window is not exactly large. You have to weigh up how long you can still be available to a child.