or Niemals Gewalt) is the title of a speech made by Astrid Lindgren in 1978, when she received the peace prize Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels.
A year later, in Lindgren's home country Sweden, a law was passed that forbid corporal punishment of children.
In 2009, a German short film called Never Violence (original title: Niemals Gewalt) had been published at Children's Day.
On 22 October 1978, Astrid Lindgren made an acceptance speech while she received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.
Astrid Lindgren asks why so many people seek power or revenge and want violence.
She believes that most dictators have experienced violence, humiliation, insults, and exposures, and pass on this behaviour.
Astrid Lindgren believes children would notice the atrocities, violence and oppressions that exist around the world.
When receiving the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, on 22 October 1978, Astrid Lindgren wanted to make a speech about non-violent upbringing.
In her home country Sweden, Astrid Lindgren teamed up with scientists, journalists and politicians to achieve non-violent upbringing.
In 1979, due to Astrid Lindgren's speech, a law was introduced in Sweden prohibiting violence against children.
[6] According to article 1631 II of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, children in Germany only have held the "right to a non-violent upbringing" since 2000.
[6] As of 2019 Sweden still is working on a program called Never Violence, a programme to strengthen international efforts to legislate against corporal punishment of children at home and school.
The introduction, however, was made by Marta Santos Pais, a Portuguese lawyer who has been serving as the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children.
[10] The epilogue was written by Thomas Hammarberg, a former Commissioner for Human Rights in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
[11] This Swedish edition has been translated into English along with the preface and epilogue, as well as Stina Wirséns cover illustration.
[14] Stephanie Streif of the Badische Zeitung believes that the little book is dedicated to "a very big, important topic": "children's rights".
[15] Luette Lotte finds that at first the book seems inconspicuous and small, but its content is deeply moving and makes people think.
Later the film was made with a budget of 3,000 euros, within three days[17] in Steinberg-Haff und Emkendorf in Schleswig-Holstein.
[17] He adds that it was important for him to demonstrate that children who experience violence perceive it as something completely normal and pass it on to others.
The film was released on the International Children's Day on 20 September 2009 by the DAGO Kinderlobby (DAGO Children's Lobby) in cooperation with the Deutsche Liga für das Kind (German League for the Child in Family and Society).
[23] The Stiftung Kinderschutz Schweiz (Swiss Foundation for Child Protection) showed the film on their website during the international No Hitting Day.
[24] Sandra Schäfer of the Berliner Morgenpost believes that the story would be timeless through the choice of images and the rural environment.
[17] Franziska Falkenberg from Hamburger Abendblatt praises cinematographer Lilli Thalgot, who captures "the child's perspective in an impressive way".