Rudolph Dirks created The Katzenjammer Kids in 1897 for the American
Humorist, the famed Sunday supplement of the New York Journal. Inspired in
part by Max Und Moritz, the famous German children's stories of the 1860s, The
Katzenjammer Kids featured the adventures of Hans and Fritz, twins and fellow
warriors in the battle against any form of authority. "The Katzies" rebelled
against Mama (their own mother, of course), der Captain (the shipwrecked
sailor who acted as their surrogate father) and der Inspector (dreaded
representative of the school authorities).

The oldest comic strip still in syndication, The Katzenjammer Kids was adapted
to the stage in 1903 and inspired countless animated cartoons. Today the
feature is drawn by Hy Eisman. The U.S. Postal Service also saluted the
Katzies with a commemorative stamp.