German humorist Vicco von Buelow dies

BERLIN -- German humorist Vicco von Buelow, often cited by Germans as proof of their sense of humor and known to the nation simply by his nom de plume, "Loriot," has died. He was 87.

Von Buelow died in his hometown of Ammerland in Bavaria on Monday, his publisher, Zurich-based Diogenes Verlag AG, said yesterday.

He was lauded by the nation's Die Zeit weekly as a German cultural figure.

"Loriot wants to be funny. And, compared to many others who also want that, he actually succeeds, enormously, again and again," Patrick Sueskind, author of the novel "Perfume," said of von Buelow. -- AP