Episode #248 - Was There a Real Snow White?

About this episode

The episode explores the possibility that the character of Snow White may have been based on a real German noblewoman amidst various mythic tropes and folklore.

The Brothers Grimm once write that "Snow White" was Germany's best known folktale. When the beloved fairytale served as the inspiration for the famous 1937 Disney film the story reached new levels of international recognition. There are many elements of the Snow White tale that seem to be timeless mythic tropes, but there are some in Germany who believe that the character may have been based on a real person. The hunt for the real Snow White has been complicated by pranksters and satirists who have been spoofing the world of "fairytale archaeology" for decades. Is there anything to the theory that Snow White was a real German noblewoman, or is it just an elaborate joke? Tune-in and find out how stunted child laborers, casual cannibalism, and the Mandela effect all play a role in the story.    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Topics covered

• history
• folklore
• literature
• culture
• mythology

Keywords

• Snow White
• Brothers Grimm
• fairytale archaeology
• real person
• German noblewoman
• child laborers
• casual cannibalism
• Mandela effect

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Snow White

Places: Germany

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