Ex- “Marienhof” star Sabine Bohlmann: Her new life as a bestselling author

“I think I have now found exactly what makes me really happy”: Ex- “Marienhof” star Sabine Bohlmann (56) celebrates great success as a children’s book author. In the former ARD series, the actress and author, who has also been lending her voice as Jenny Busch as Jenny Busch from 1992, was the actress and author, who has also been lending Lisa Simpson for decades. After that, she created her own characters for her books with the cruel, Willow, Ms. Honey or the little dormouse. In an interview with the news agency Spot on News, Bohlmann tells, who now appears at the White Ravens Festival of the International Youth Library (July 13th – 17th) in Munich, about the setbacks on her way to success and how she likes the film adaptation of her book “A girl named Willow”.

Sabine Bohlmann: I’m really looking forward to it. I am a Munich woman and so the library in the Blutenburg has always been known to me. In addition, I got married in the Blutenburg chapel. At the festival I was with my children many years ago – but as a listener.

Bohlmann: First the encounter with my newly invented characters and then the encounter with the children who read my stories.

Bohlmann: Oh, many. I have a thick folder with collected cancellations. At first no publisher wanted to print my stories, then when it was finally time, my first books did not make it into the shops and it took a long time for one to finally be successful. And then one more and one more … somehow I always believed in my stories and that it would work one day.

Bohlmann: In my case, that was very creeping and not from now on. I was slowly getting used to it because everything has grown slowly – I think a very healthy way of success because you really appreciate success.

Bohlmann: I think that should have happened long ago. If so many children still read, it will continue to be the case. Nevertheless, we have to do a lot. Lending and reading, reading aloud, reading aloud. Have I already said reading aloud?

Bohlmann: First of all, I have to say that I love the film very much. And I’m very, very satisfied with the result. The characters were the same as I imagined. Of course you have to say goodbye to some things here and there, but since I also come from the film industry, I could always understand why. We also searched for solutions together. The biggest change was Grimmoor the witch’s book, which in my novel is only a book that can write his opinion. In the film, the book became a book person with paper side clothing, paper hat and paper face. Great and lovingly played by Max Giermann.

Bohlmann: It was a good time that I like to think back to. But that was a long time ago, I have now arrived where I feel much more comfortable. I think I have now found exactly what makes me really happy.

Bohlmann: Yes, of course. Every now and then a former colleague suddenly stands in front of me after one of my readings or we happen to run into our way or send messages every now and then. The world is small and in ten years it was “Marienhof” so many dear people to whom you have met.

Bohlmann: Never. Who could expect that there is a cartoon series that runs over 36 years.

Bohlmann: I think it’s nice. You are somehow famous, but somehow not at all. You can walk around anywhere without being recognized, that’s actually rather good.

Bohlmann: I am currently writing “Welcome to the cruel” on a third volume, and I will also start with a sixth band from Willow in autumn. I am at the White Ravens Festival and at the Captain Book Festival in Bonn and since the dormouse has become ten this year, there will also be a few dormouse appearances in the theater for children in Munich. So there is a lot to do and I’m looking forward to everything.

The 8th White Ravens Festival for International Children’s and Youth Literature will take place from July 13th to July 17th, 2025. Under the patronage of the Bavarian Minister of State for Science and Art, authors from home and abroad will read from their children’s and youth books, lead workshops and talk about themselves and their work in panel talks. The main event location of the festival, one of the largest events for children’s literature with an international occupation worldwide, is the Schloss Blutenburg in Munich, the headquarters of the International Youth Library. The event will open on Sunday, July 13th with a large family festival.