Busy Bunny

He’ll be glad when it’s over. Germany’s most prominent Easter Bunny is stressed out.

Every day, Hans-Hermann Dunker answers more than 500 children’s letters addressed to the Easter Bunny. "Hanni Hase", as Dunker is called, is the only official Easter Bunny in the country.

He’s employed by the German postal service Deutsche Post to respond to the hopping gift-giver’s mail. His home is none other than the small town of Ostereistedt, or "Easter egg town", in Lower Saxony.

One of Dunker’s colleague’s received a letter to the Easter Bunny 20 years ago. He had the idea of turning Ostereistedt into the official headquarters of the Easter post office.

Dunker and his staff of 15 have been replying to children’s letters from all over the world ever since.

Hopping through the Internet

"Hanni Hase" keeps pace with the times, too. In 1996, he went online. And business has picked up even more since then.

"I’m a little, long-eared four-footed friend with brown fur and a small snub nose," he writes on his website. There, children (and adults) can read Easter stories, send virtual Easter cards or e-mail the Easter Bunny their wishes.

Of course, replies then hop back to you electronically, too!

Even though it’s hard work, it pays off. The walls of Dunker’s office are full of colorfully drawn letters. And every now and then, "Hanni Hase" also gets a carrot of thanks in the mail.