Die Amerikareise (The trip to America) was published in Leipzig in 1954, in a collected work of three plays for young audiences. In the preface, the editor declares the publication of Soviets or Hungarian puppet plays, and introduces the collection as the GDR’s contribution to the creation of a puppet repertoire in the socialist world. Werner Hoke’s play is a satire of contemporary America, depicted as a country made of corruption, debauchery, and racism.

Invited to the international convention of handymen in Chicago, Dr. Haase builds a rocket to go there. Two gangsters witness the landing and try to steal the rocket, but Haase manages to flee and goes to see Turnip, the organiser of the convention; the convention is actually an excuse invented to attract the German scientist. Turnip looks for ways to corrupt Haase, his daughter Elvyra tries to seduce him, and the gangster Bill tries to kill him. With the help of the black servant Ann, Haase manages to flee with the rocket and, at the same time, saves Ann’s son Tom from a lynching.