Today is the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela, leader of the activities against the Apartheid regime that dominated South Africa for decades. The topic Apartheid also plays a part in Harald Siepermann’s television series Alfred J. Kwak.
In the series Alfred J. Kwak befriends the Wana family, four black ducks who escaped their homeland, where there is the Apartheid regime that is run by white geese. Father Kwa and mother Blanche fight against this regime and therefor the police wants to arrest them. Alfred arrange a permit for the Wana family so they can stay in his country, Great Waterland. Now the children Winnie and Tom are safe in Great Waterland, Kwa and Blanche decide to go back to their country to continue their activities against the Apartheid. Alfred accompanies Kwa and Blanche in their home journey and spent several days there. In these days Alfred learns about the discrimination and the oppression of the white geese against the black ducks.
The story arc runs over the three episodes, from episodes 27 to 29. When the episodes premièred in 1989 there was still the Apartheid regime in South Africa and Nelson Mandela was still in prison.
Below are several character designs by Harald Siepermann from these episodes…
