<Tr> <Th> Created by </Th> <Td> L. Frank Baum </Td> </Tr> <P> The Munchkins are the natives of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum . They first appear in the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) where they welcome Dorothy Gale to their city in Oz . The Munchkins are described as being the same height as Dorothy and they wear only shades of blue clothing, as blue is the Munchkins' favorite color . Blue is also the predominating color that officially represents the eastern quadrant in the Land of Oz . The Munchkins have appeared in various media, including the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, as well as in various other films and comedy acts . </P> <P> Baum never explained where the term came from, but Baum researcher Brian Attebery has hypothesized that there might be a connection to the Münchner Kindl, the emblem of the Bavarian city of Munich (spelled München in German). The symbol was originally a 13th - century statue of a monk, looking down from the town hall in Munich . Over the years, the image was reproduced many times, for instance as a figure on beer steins, and eventually evolved into a child wearing a pointed hood . Baum's family had German origins, suggesting that Baum could have seen one such reproduction in his childhood . It is also possible that "Munchkin" came from the German word "Männchen", which means "mannikin" or "little figure". In 1900, Baum published a book about window displays in which he stressed the importance of mannequins in attracting customers . </P> <P> - L. Frank Baum </P>

Who played the munchkins in oz the great and powerful