Bohemian weekend | Mole and music

Mole? The first association is, of course: the Czech Republic! There is probably no cartoon character in the world so obviously associated with the country in which it was created. Krecik, Krtek in Czech, is originally a Czechoslovakian and then Czech animated film series for children. It was created by Zdeněk Miler.

The character of Krecik was created in 1957. Already an established filmmaker at the time, animation director Zdeněk Miler was commissioned to make an educational film that would depict the production of fabric. The finished film, showing the process of making a linen shirt, was saturated with numerous descriptions of the operation of machinery. The concept of the film did not appeal to Miler. This is because he wanted the film to interest small viewers and for the information not to be given directly - the process of producing the fabric was to be only a background for the adventures of an animal.

Miler did not want to imitate Disney productions, so he did not want to make a dog, cat, duck or mouse the main character of the film - for these animals were already widely exploited by American studios in the 1950s. There is a related anecdote saying that in search of a completely new character for his film, Miler went to the woods. After a few hours of fruitless searching, discouraged, he walked toward a clearing. Walking ahead in reverie, he stumbled upon a mound of moles - and thus the Mole was born.

It's such a weird mouse without ears, with a long nose and, on top of that, it can't see. I tried to draw it in such a way that it would become a sympathetic guide in a children's movie. I drew for so long, until the character began to appeal to me quite a bit," recalled the birth of one of the most popular characters in a children's animated film by its creator.

The first film telling the story of how the Mole got new shorts was made in 1957, and the author initially did not intend to make a TV series. However, the big success of the film about Krecik made Miler decide to return to his character. In 1963, another film about Krecik was made: Krecik and the Car. This was the beginning of a series whose subsequent episodes were made until 2002.

The Mole has gained popularity among children in more than sixty countries. He is recognized all over the world. The author constantly worked on his appearance. The modern Mole, unlike the one from the first film, is more cheerful and looks younger. He has also become the hero of children's books and coloring books.

The Golden Hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic will feature music for three episodes of Krecik: Mole the Clockmaker, Mole in the Desert and Mole and Music.