„Nathan und seine Kinder“ von Mirjam Pressler. Adaption des dramatischen Gedichtes „Nathan der Weise“ von Gotthold Ephraim Lessing für Kinder

This article deals with the adaptation of one of the most important works of the German literature. Firstly, the school tradition of the adaptations of the so-called classical literary works at schools in Germany was analyzed. There are two very significant questions concerning this process: the quali­ty of the adaptation for children and its compliance with the original work. The next chapter deals with the content of the work Nathan der Weise by G.E. Lessing. I mentioned especially the Jew Melchisedech, whose story contains the parable of the three rings. In the chapter Nathan und seine Kinder by Mirjam Pressler I critically analyzed this book and compared it with the original work. The very important difference in Mirjam Pressler is the change of the drama genre to a novel. There are some differences in the characters in comparison with the original work. The number of their appearances in the particular chapters differs too, and different is also their social milieu.