10 animated series of the countries of the socialist camp that children in the USSR fell in love with

As children, we all loved watching cartoons. And those of us whose youngest years fell on the late Soviet period will easily recall not only domestic cartoons (the very ones that are really kind and capable of not only delighting their little viewers, but also educating them properly), but also foreign animation products produced in the countries of the socialist bloc (that is, mainly in Eastern Europe – Poland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, etc.).

These cartoons were often multi-part, and they were distinguished by some kind of strange, unique (“not ours”) style, as well as kindness and extreme naivety (even by the standards of an ordinary 7-10-year-old Soviet child).

But we watched them with great pleasure (especially since we showed these very memorable and often unusually bright cartoons far from every day).

Let’s remember the 10 most popular animated series of the countries of the socialist camp, which were very fond of Soviet children.

10 About Dorotka | Poland

A 10-episode cartoon about a mischievous girl Dorotka and her pet (and best friend) – a large blue and yellow parrot, was released in the Polish People’s Republic back in 1960.

Dorotka is very kind: in one of the episodes, she helps a star girl who accidentally fell from the sky; in the other, she takes care of an ostrich that has hatched from an egg that has rolled away from an ostrich mother, and so on.

But at the same time, she, like any child, is naughty, which is why she constantly gets into difficult situations (for example, once she is lured into a gingerbread house – with the help of sweets – by the cunning Baba Yaga), from which she has to be rescued strict parrot.

What else is remarkable about the cartoon about Dorotka is that it absolutely does not need translation, any story out of 10 is simple and understandable in terms of visuals.

9. Tales of the Fairy Amalka (Říkání o víle Amálce) | Czechoslovakia

Amalka is a small, smart and very kind forest fairy who always tries to help the forest dwellers and protect them from the troubles caused by people (for example, one of the 13 episodes of this animated series created in Czechoslovakia in 1975 is called “How Amalka drove the hunter away A fly from the forest). But she also helps people, if necessary, very willingly.

As a fairy, Amalka has to help the plants of the forest spread their seeds as far as possible, and she performs her duties very conscientiously, despite being sometimes very hindered by the bully wind.

Amalka also loves to dance – once she danced the giant Thunderboy. A very kind cartoon with excellent Soviet voice acting, which still evokes warm feelings.

8. Magic pencil (Zaczarowany olowek) | Poland

The main characters of the Polish cartoon “Magic Pencil” are the boy Petrik and his beloved dog. One day (of course, in the very first series of 39) they rescue a gnome who fell into it from a mousetrap, and he, as a thank you, gives Petrik (who loves to draw very much) a magic pencil.

The main “trick” of this pencil is that everything that Petrik draws with it immediately becomes real. And now the boy can get an urgently needed item (for example, an umbrella) at any time. Not only that, he is able to draw, he can immediately revive even animals. The main thing is that a suitable sheet of paper or just a wall turns up under your arm.

Using a magic pencil to “resolve” any difficult situation is as easy as shelling pears, because with it you can get almost anywhere and on anything (which, in fact, Petrik does). This animated series was filmed in Poland from 1962 to 1976, and it was shown in the USSR already in the 1980s.

7. Maxipes Fík (Maxipes Fík) | Czechoslovakia

This animated series consists of two seasons (each with 13 episodes), in fact, Maxipes Fik (1975) and Amazing Dreams of Maxips Fik (1978).

It is not difficult to guess that the main character of the cartoons is a huge dog (apparently, the St. Bernard breed) named Fick. Even as a very small puppy, he was presented to the girl Aya.

But the dog turned out to be a big glutton, and therefore he very quickly ceased to fit first in a shoe box, then in a basket, and then even in a booth.

Aya’s dad was about to sell it, but just that day, Fick saved the drowning Aya from the pond, and so he was not only allowed to stay, but even built a special house.

Fick just loves Aya (and this is mutual!), he is always there for her, and this couple gets into different instructive situations together.

And Fick is not just a dog. He is a thinking and talking dog! (Moreover, in the Soviet voice acting, Fick speaks in a male voice with very funny intonations).

6. Кржемелик и Вахмурка (Tales from moss and fern) | Czechoslovakia

The three-season animated series (each season had 13 episodes) “Krzhemelik and Vakhmurka” or, in another Soviet version, “Tales of the Forest Men”, was originally called “Tales of Mosses and Ferns”.

He filmed from 1968 to 1972. for Czechoslovak television based on the books of the Czech children’s writer Václav Čtvrtek.

The entire first season was black and white, but only the second and third seasons were shown in the USSR – already in color.

Forest men (very similar to gnomes in caps) constantly get into various funny stories, sometimes literally, because they are big gourmets and therefore like to cook all sorts of goodies for themselves.

But, thank God, they have many friends who help Krzemelik and Vakhmurka in difficult situations (and our heroes do not remain in debt – they also help out other forest dwellers from time to time).

5. Mach and Shebestova (Mach a Šebestová) | Czechoslovakia

These cartoons were based on books by children’s writer Milos Macourek. Mach and Shebestova are ordinary Czech third-graders, inseparable friends. They sit at the same desk and go on the same adventures together.

One day, Makh and Shebestova help a man on the street who has lost his glasses. For this, he gives them a magic handset – one has only to say any wish into it, as it will surely come true. And we must pay tribute to Makh and Shebestova – they never use this gift for selfish purposes, but only to help someone. (By the way, neither in the book nor in the cartoons these characters are ever called by their first names, only by their last names).

The first season of cartoons about Makh and Shebestova (as well as about their friend, the dog Jonathan) was released back in 1977, and, alas, we were never able to remember (and even find out using the Internet) how many episodes it had and when it was shown in the USSR.

But in 1998 and 2005 two sequels about our heroes were released – respectively “Mach and Shebestova on vacation” (13 episodes) and “Journey of inseparable friends” (8 episodes).

4. Bolek and Lolek | Poland

Yes, most likely, you may not remember some of the cartoons listed above, but you will recognize those that will be mentioned by us in paragraphs 1-4.

Here, for example, is a long animated series about Polish boys Bolek and Lolek (their full names sound like Boleslav and Karol).

From 1962 to 1986 more than 130 episodes were released (in 8 or 9 sub-series) about these two fidgets who love adventure (during this time they visited Africa, Australia, the Wild West, and even the North Pole, went in for sports, worked in a mine, searched for treasures, etc.).

In the USSR “Bolek and Lyolek” in the 1970-1990s. shown quite often. And in Poland itself, these cartoon characters still occupy the first place among all the others. Moreover, streets in the cities of Zielona Góra, Olsztyn, Kwidzyn and Ostrow Wielkopolski are even named after them, and the Elwro electronic factory in Wroclaw once produced calculator models 441 Bolek and 481 Lolek.

3. Stir fry and Pasta (Štaflík a Špagetka) | Czechoslovakia

If we wrote in the subtitle only the original name of this cartoon (and in fact – as many as 26 episodes divided into 2 seasons, the first of which, still black and white, was filmed in 1969-1971, and the second, color, in 1988-1990) – “Staflik and Shpagetka”, you might not understand what we are talking about at all. But Stepyanka and Macaronina are, of course, very familiar to you.

Many Soviet children adored these two dogs – the white shaggy mongrel Stepyanka and the black dachshund Makaronina. These cute little animals always had something to do – either they made repairs in their house (glued wallpaper, knocked together furniture, etc.), then they went fishing together, then went in for sports and other interesting things.

And the harmful neighbor of the crow constantly tried to harm them (apparently, she was just bored), for which she was often punished.

2. The Adventures of Rex (Reksio) | Poland

Well, who does not remember the sweet Rex – a cheerful dog who lives in a cozy kennel and is friends with other pets, as well as with a funny and smiling curly boy?

As for the Rex breed, many meticulous viewers are still arguing whether he is a fox terrier, or still a Jack Russell Terrier. All in all, about this kind and very smart character from 1967 to 1988. 65 cartoons came out.

Rex quickly became popular and recognizable not only in Poland, but also in almost all other countries of the socialist camp. In the USSR, cartoons about him were shown quite often.

In today’s Poland, Rex is practically the same cultural symbol as Bolek and Lolek (and, by the way, there is an interesting point – in some episodes in Rex’s booth you can see books about Bolek and Lolek). And in the city of Bielsko-Biala there is a real monument to Rex.

1. About the mole (Krtek) | Czechoslovakia

And, finally, the most famous (and perhaps the most popular) animated series from the former socialist camp is Krot (or Krotik).

The first cartoon of this series (“How the Mole Found Pants”) was released back in 1957, and the last – the 63rd (“The Mole and the Frog”) – in 2002.

Oh yes! By the way, in the very first series, the mole was talking (!), And in all subsequent ones, it only made various funny sounds.

Here is an interesting fact for you: the laughter and crying of a mole, as well as his exclamations expressing surprise, fear, joy, etc. is the expression of similar emotions by real children.

Zdeněk Miller – artist and director of our favorite cartoon, recorded (and then slightly processed) live crying, laughter, etc. their little daughters to use it for the voice of the mole. And this idea turned out to be truly brilliant – as a result, not a single episode of the animated series turned out to be incomprehensible to its young viewers, in whatever country of the world it was watched.

Cartoons about a mole are incredibly kind, in addition, they are very informative (as it was intended!) and allow children to expand their horizons. And the mole also teaches simple, but very important things – friendship, mutual assistance, justice, honesty, independence, etc.