Mausspots (partially lost animated interstitials; 1970s-present)
This article has been tagged as Needing work due to its lack of organization and references.
Screenshot from an interstitial.
Status: Partially Lost
Maus is the star of German TV's longest-running show, Die Sendung Mit Der Maus (The Show With the Mouse, otherwise known internationally as Mouse TV). Aimed at young children but beloved by all ages, the show provides a mix of entertaining animated shorts and live-action films answering interesting questions about the real world.
Despite Maus' 40-year run as the show's mascot, broadcaster WDR hasn't been kind to her interstitial animations, known as Mausspots. These consist of one-minute cartoons showcasing the antics of Maus and her pals, Elefant (a midget blue elephant), Ente (a yellow duck) and Hase (a pink bunny).
In recent years, WDR has been showing only the Mausspots from the 1980s and 1990s onward, on the original show as well as the international versions distributed under the Mouse TV banner. The majority from the early years sadly remain lost as WDR refuses to show them on Maus's website or make any plans to remaster them for future airings. However, there are a few of these early Mausspots floating about on YouTube, including the very first one from 1971.