Saturday, May 15, 2021

Astrid & Truk


Though damaged, this rare specimen is one of the few remnants of a showbiz career for the team of Astrid & Truk, a wife and husband team of German magicians.  Astrid, whose married name was Hilde Hufenbach, was married to Truk, the stage name of Kurt (Truk backwards) Hufenbach (1918-1989).  Having begun his magic career in Germany circa 1945, he first appeared as Truk in 1947.  Astrid & Truk began working as a team in 1951.

In 1960, the pair became the sales representatives for Schmid's Spielkarten, a storied German playing card manufacturer founded in the mid-1800s.  The cobranded card seen here prominently features the pair.  The text translates roughly to "Astrid & Truk conjure and enchant with Schmid's Playing Cards."

Hufenbach authored several magic books, including Playing Card Manipulations (1964), Keyser's Big Book of Magic (1979), and a magic set called "Card Art Made Easy" (1982).  


Several sites note that the couple regularly performed at the Cafe Annast, an historic venue in Munich.  



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