Rolf Kauka (9 April 1917 in Markranstädt near Leipzig – 13 September 2000 in Thomasville, Georgia) was a comic artist, most famous for the series Fix and Foxi.

In 1951, Rolf Kauka founded Kauka Publishing. Aside from Rolf Kauka’s original comic characters, Kauka Publishing introduced to German audiences such international series as Asterix and The Smurfs from France and Belgium. Some characters received Germanized names, for instance Spirou & Fantasio / Pit & Pikkolo, Gaston Lagaffe / Jojo, etc.

In 1973, Kauka sold his publishing house to the English publisher IPC and the Dutch publishing group VNU. He maintained his right of authority, but removed himself from the active publishing world. In 1975 he founded the Kauka Comic Academy in Munich, where he concentrated on the training and continuing education of young writers and illustrators. At the end of the 1970s the publishing consortium was dissolved and Bauer/VPM began publishing Fix & Foxi.

Kauka characters/series outside the Fuxholzen (Fix und Foxi) universe:

• The Pichelsteiner - prehistoric adventure series
• Dagobert - an early character by Rolf Kauka
• Diabolino - an imp character
• Mischa - adventure series based in the future and in outer space.
• Tom and Biberherz - Old West adventure series.
• Peppercorn Family - the last series created by Rolf Kauka.

Rolf Kauka also directed the animated film Maria d'Oro und Bello Blue, which contains characters created by him.

[edit] External links

• Website of Rolf Kauka
• Wiki on Kauka's publications (German)
• Website of Kauka Medien-Gruppe (German)
• Website of Kauka Marketing & Medien
• Website of Kauka Promedia, Inc.
• Website of Kauka Licensing

This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article as of August 17, 2005.