Krtek a kalhotky («Krtek and the trousers»). Photo: Celia Pérez
CELIA PÉREZ CARRASCOSA, Prague (Czech Republic)
There is no Czech icon more endearing and sweeter than Krtek, which means “mole” in Czech. This cute children’s character was created in 1957 by cartoonist Zdeněk Miler at the Bratři v triku (Brothers in T-shirts) film studio in Prague. Since then, the animated mole has accompanied the youngest members of each generation.
Krtek quickly won the affection of the public. An audience that was not only Czechoslovakian or from other Eastern Bloc countries, this cartoon also reached countries such as France, West Germany and Japan. In addition, it was awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival that same year, elevating the Mole to the status of a big screen star.
Almost 70 years have passed since Zdeněk Miler brought him to life. During this time, Krtek has witnessed every historical event in Czechoslovakia and, later, the Czech Republic as one of the country’s most important cultural figures, especially for children. Children who, when they grow up, remember Krtek fondly, which continually strengthens the great, yet simple, national symbol that is this adorable mole.
Zdeněk Miler, the creator of Krtek
The famous illustrator and animated film director was born on 21 February 1921 in Kladno, a town west of Prague. He studied at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (UMPRUM by its initials in Czech) and in 1942 began working as a cartoonist and animator at the Baťa Film Academy in Zlín. Three years later, in 1945, he returned to Prague to join the Bratři v triku film studio. The studio was run by the renowned illustrator and director of animated and puppet films Jiří Trnka, which excited the young Miler. His beginnings at the new studio were particularly noteworthy, as he himself designed the logo: three children with curly hair wearing T-shirts[1]. It should be noted that in 1945, after the Second World War, the film industry was nationalised in Czechoslovakia with the aim of protecting the country’s culture after the occupation by Nazi Germany[2] and from 1948, under the communist regime, it remained nationalised. Therefore, the Bratři v triku studio, whose unique and comical name was given to it by its director Jiří Trnka, was attached to the state-owned company Krátky film Praha. This company was dedicated to animated films, educational films and documentaries. Since 1991, Krátky film Praha[3] continued to be an animation film company, but as a private entity.
In 1947, Zdeněk Miler took a big step forward in his career by directing his first short film, Bratři v triku: O milionáři, který ukradl slunce («The Millionaire Who Stole the Sun»). This piece is an adaptation of the social tale by Czech writer and poet Jiří Wolker. A film without the cheerful colours of Krtek, in which darkness prevails and, considering the story on which it is based, it is not a fairy tale for little children. It was not until 1949 that he directed Červená Karkulka[4] («Little Red Riding Hood»), his first children’s film. He also participated as a designer in the puppet film Kubala a Kuba Kubikula, a filmed version of the story of the same name by Czech writer Vladislav Vančura. In addition to bringing Krtek to life in 1957, he also created Štěňatko, “puppy” in Czech. The adventures of this little dog were written by author Iva Hercíková and illustrated by Zdeněk Miler.
Visiting the permanent exhibition Zdeněk Miler nejen Krtek («Zdeněk Miler is not just Krtek») in the cartoonist and director’s hometown, is a great way to find out about this creator and his animation.
The mole comes to cinema
After these brief insights into Zdeněk Miler’s career, we come to the adorable mole. The great illustrator and, by then, director Miler was commissioned to make a children’s film explaining how clothes are made. It was a difficult task, as he was not sure which animal or character to choose, since he did not want to repeat any of those already used by Walt Disney. After two months of thinking about who could be the protagonist of his film, he came across it by chance. One day, while walking in the woods, he stumbled upon a mole’s burrow and immediately knew that this would be the creature for his film. However, this animal is not very graceful, so it took Zdeněk Miler a long time to come up with the perfect drawing for children: a pleasant and cute mole. After choosing the character and producing the film, Jak Krtek ke kalhotkám přišel («How Krtek Got His Trousers») was finally released in 1957. This was the first of 49 films recounting Krtek’s adventures and discoveries, with the last one being released in 2002. The second instalment was Krtek a autíčko («Krtek and the Car») in 1963 and the third was Krtek a raketa («Krtek and the Rocket») in 1966. Other works include Krtek o vánocích («Krtek at Christmas») (1975), Krtek ve městě («Krtek in the City») (1982), Krtek a metro («Krtek and the Underground») (1997) and the last one: Krtek a maminka («Krtek and Mum») (2002). As mentioned earlier, this mole’s first work won the Silver Lion for Best Animation Direction at the 1957 Venice Film Festival. Who won the Golden Lion for Best Animated Film? The Soviet feature film Снежная королева («The Snow Queen»), directed by Lev Atamanov, won first prize in this category[5]. This demonstrates the great value of animated cinema in former Central and Eastern Europe.
This friendly mole hardly speaks, saying only a few words such as ahoj “hello”, tady “here”, tam “there”, pomoc “help” or poď “come” and interjections such as hele “hey” or “eh” and ach jo. The latter is very common and expresses exhaustion or disappointment; it could be “oh dear!”. And who said those words? They are Zdeněk Miler’s daughters. He recorded the voices of his children and they remained forever in Krtek’s work. However, in the first film he does have more extensive dialogue. The fact that he spoke so little made it easier to broadcast in other countries, as no translation was needed. Czechoslovakia was part of the Eastern Bloc at the time, so the little mole easily found its way into homes in the USSR, Poland and the German Democratic Republic (GDR), among others. In addition, Polish cartoons such as Bolek i Lolek were also shown in Czechoslovakia, as were the Soviet cartoons Cheburashka. Interestingly, Krtek’s adventures continued to be broadcast in Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
It is also worth mentioning that the story of Zdeněk Miler and Krtek appears in one of the units of the Czech language book for foreigners Český krok za krokem B1 by Lída Holá and Pavla Bořilová. This reveals how important this character and his author are to Czechs, who are keen for foreigners to know the reason for the existence of this cute talpid.
Krtek, famous in Germany and France
Beyond communist Europe, the Czechoslovakian mole crossed the Iron Curtain and also became popular in France, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and even Japan. While it is true that some Krtek films show the construction and repair of certain devices and products such as clothing, radios and even cars, they do not apply socialist realism at all, nor do they promote the socialist state. Apart from work, in several Krtek films we find care and love for nature and the environment, as well as helping friends and having fun together. In short, it does not convey anything harmful, so it can fit perfectly into any society.
But how did this mole sneak into Western European countries too? Darina Martykánová, professor in the Department of Contemporary History at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and graduate in Turkology, History and Culture of Islamic Countries from Charles University in Prague, points out that there was a tradition of cultural exchange and film co-production between France, West Germany, Italy and communist European countries. There were several reasons for this collaboration: economic reasons, since producing in Czechoslovakia, for example, was less expensive than in West Germany; interest in France, Italy and the United Kingdom in the culture of Central and Eastern Europe; and ideological sympathies among the French and Italian cultural establishment for the countries of communist Europe. As Martykánová says, these Western European countries, unlike the United States, did not fall into the trap of demonising communist Europe and maintained good and cordial relations.
The cultural proximity or affinity between Germany and Czechoslovakia did not arise overnight in the 20th century. Let us remember that the Czech Lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806) and that Prague was its capital under the reign of Charles IV (1355–1378). United for centuries, it was impossible for there not to be a cultural connection. Beyond the common culture shared over a long period of history, Martykánová highlights the success of the novels of the nineteenth-century German writer Karl May in 20th-century Czech society (first in the Czech Lands and later in Czechoslovakia). These are adventure novels in which Native Americans are portrayed as the good guys. These novels differ greatly from most American Westerns of the 1930s-50s, in which Native Americans are portrayed as enemies or villains.
The cultural ties and affinities in Central Europe prior to the communist regimes of the 20th century help us to better understand the cinematic collaboration that would later take place between Germany and Czechoslovakia in the second half of the 20th century. This collaboration occurred between Czechoslovakia and the two Germanys: West and East. Many of these collaborations were filmed at the Barrandov film studios in Prague, now known as Barrandov Studios. Martykánová gives us two examples of this: Tři orísky pro Popelku («Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella»), a 1973 co-production between Czechoslovakia and the GDR, and the 1984 television comedy series Lucie, postrach ulice («Lucie, the Terror of the Street»), a Czechoslovak-FRG co-production. Another co-production between Czechoslovakia and West Germany is the television series Arabela (1979-1981). Martykánová highlights the fame and high quality of Czechoslovak animation in the 1950s, as well as the opening up of the regime in the 1960s, which attempted to break with Stalinism and gave rise to the Czechoslovak New Wave, an avant-garde film movement in the country that was well known in Europe and even in Ibero-America. However, in 1968, the period of normalisation took place after the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact, which resulted in greater supervision of the former country by the USSR and more rigorous censorship. Nevertheless, over time, the harshness of the regime softened and “there was a new opening towards Western Europe, also due to the need for foreign currency. This led to an active circulation of cultural products in both directions”, says Martykánová. Although ideologically Spain and Czechoslovakia had been separated for decades, in the 1980s the Spanish series Curro Jiménez was broadcast on Czechoslovak television.
It is also very famous in China, to the point that it appeared alongside Panda in the animated series Panda a Krtek («Panda and Krtek»). This was a 2015 Sino-Czech co-production between the Chinese company CCTV Animation Ltd and the Czech company Little Mole Cartoon, in which the two animated characters are the protagonists. The creator’s granddaughter, Karolína Milerová, authorised the production of the audiovisual product, which led to controversy over the authorship of the work. Therefore, in 2020, Zdeněk Miler’s heirs reached an agreement on copyright to maintain and protect the original work[6]. Krtek’s return to the Sino-Czech series was a far cry from the silent, hand-drawn mole, as Krtek returned as a talking character in 3D. I personally know Czechs who did not like this continuation of Krtek at all, as they believe that the original work should not be altered, since it is uniquely Czech, so they do not see the need to revive it with a Chinese character, or one from any other country. This is not surprising, as Czechs, in general, are very protective of their culture. Domestic animation is much more popular than foreign animation. Apart from Krtek, Czech children often watch Pat a Mat, Večerníček and other Czech stories. Another example of this is Christmas. Unlike in Spain, where Father Christmas or Santa Claus has become almost as important as the Three Kings in recent years, he has barely made an appearance in Czech Christmas celebrations. Here in the Czech Republic, Saint Nicholas, his entourage and the Baby Jesus remain the main figures of Christmas. They protect their culture not in a violent or chauvinistic way, but in a loving and natural way. Broadly speaking, these Slavs are truly patriotic, not nationalistic. Today’s nationalism is different from that of the 19th century, which we will discuss later.
As for Japan, Krtek has been present there almost since its inception. In the late 1950s, it was translated into Japanese as Jak Krtek ke kalhotkám přišel[7] («How Krtek Got His Trousers») and has been a very popular character in Japan ever since.
Krtek, in space
The cute mole was not content with just crossing the Iron Curtain in the middle of the Cold War, but also travelled into space in 2011 with American astronaut Andrew Feustel. Indira Feustel, the astronaut’s wife, whose mother’s family is Czech, had the idea of the cosmonaut taking Krtek with him. And so, Andrew Feustel and a stuffed toy version of the mole boarded the American space shuttle Endeavour on 16 May 2011 and spent sixteen days on the International Space Station (ISS). Who would have thought it? The 1966 film Krtek a raketa («Krtek and the Rocket») became reality. Shortly afterwards, Andrew Feustel met Zdeněk Miler in person and gave him the soft toy that had accompanied him into outer space. Years later, on 21 March 2018, they embarked on a new journey together. This time they did so aboard the Russian spacecraft Soyuz. The exploration lasted 196 days and they landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan on 4 October 2018.
Following Krtek’s cosmic journey, the Czech Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the US Embassy in the Czech Republic, launched the Do kosmu s Krtkem[8] («To Space with Krtek») project in 2011 and 2018. This educational programme is aimed at primary and secondary school children and seeks to spark their interest and curiosity in astronautics: the science that studies space navigation.
Czech Republic, a country that loves art
Krtek is more than just a cartoon. Krtek is art. Today’s Czech Republic has a long tradition in animated film and various other artistic fields, with painter Alfons Mucha, composers Bedřich Semetana and Antonín Dvořak, and writers Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera and Karel Čapek being particularly noteworthy. Apart from its universally renowned artists and writers, the Czech Republic is a country where art is highly valued and flourishes throughout society from childhood onwards. Since I arrived in this wonderful country, I have realised that almost everyone around me—from Prague to Karviná, a town in the Silesia region—is involved in some kind of art, whether it be music or any of the visual arts. They do this professionally or as a hobby. Many Czechs love to paint, draw or play an instrument in their free time. This is not very common in Spain.
Where does the Slavs’ intrinsic love of art come from? If we go back to the 19th century, we find the Czech Lands within the Austrian Empire. This was a century in which nationalism flourished in Europe. Such was the case in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (Austrian Silesia), the three regions that made up the Czech Lands and led the industrial sector in the Habsburg Crown. Parallel to industrial progress, these lands also embraced nationalism. The Old Continent was the scene of several revolutions against absolutist monarchies in 1848, and the Austrian Empire is an example of this. In the vast Empire, there were several liberal and nationalist revolutions against the absolute power of Vienna. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 stands out considerably, paving the way for the dualisation of the Empire, with the Austro-Hungarian Empire being established in 1867. In the Czech case, nationalism was distinguished by being more cultural in nature. Although they demanded a certain degree of autonomy, most Czechs at that time did not seek independence from Austria. After the revolutions of 1848, the Habsburgs worked for years on new rules that granted greater freedom to citizens, as people gradually ceased to be subjects and became citizens[9]. Laws on freedom of association and trade unions were adopted, leading to the founding of Sokol, the country’s oldest physical and cultural education association, in 1862.
Language also played a very important role in Czech nationalism. Step by step, secondary schools, known as gymnázium in Czech, were established, where teaching was conducted in the Czech language. First as an optional language and later as a compulsory one[10]. This was not the case for primary education, which had already been taught in Czech for more than a century. In 1774, under the orders of Empress Maria Theresa I of Austria, the General School Order was approved[11], which mandated compulsory and public primary education for all children, regardless of gender, from 6 to 12 years of age throughout the Empire, in both urban and rural areas. Education was provided in the national language of each town or village. This was undoubtedly a measure that benefited the lower classes, as literacy is always the first step towards freedom. Secondary education was taught in German. However, as we have already mentioned, from 1848 onwards, secondary education in the Czech language gradually gained ground in the Czech Lands.
The pillars of Czech nationalism since the 19th century have been language and cultural identity, hence the founding of Sokol and the effort to promote education in the Czech language. In addition, historian Darina Martykánová highlights the other Czech cultural associations, known as spolky in Czech, that were formed in the 19th century. These associations were fundamental to cultural and artistic activity in the Czech Lands. Martykánová highlights the case of composer Antonín Dvořák, the son of a butcher and innkeeper. Coming from a petty bourgeois family in the small town of Nelahozoves, near Prague, he excelled as a violinist in his hometown choir and sometimes attended parishes in other villages to help out in other choirs. After primary school, he continued his training as a musician and played in various orchestras, while also beginning to compose his own pieces. In 1875, he applied for a state scholarship for young and talented artists without financial resources from the Ministry of Culture and Education of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was granted, allowing him to improve and work on his music more easily[12]. The composer’s career was also closely linked to one of these spolky. Specifically, it was Umělecká beseda (Artistic Debate/Talk) and its music section, Hudební matice Umělecká beseda (Artistic Debate/Talk Music Matrix), founded in 1863, the association that supported and published several of the composer’s works, such as Král a uhlíř («The King and the Charcoal Burner») in 1871 and Kytice z českých národních písní («Bouquet of Czech National Songs») in 1877[13]. This is an important fact that shows that these associations appreciated talent regardless of the social background of their members. Other examples of this type of association are: Jednota výtvarných umělců (Association of Visual Artists), established in 1849, and Spolek výtvarných umělců Mánes (Mánes Association of Visual Artists), established in 1887. In this way, art ceased to be reserved for the ruling classes and gradually, with great effort, became more accessible to the common people.
Once Czechoslovakia had been established, art continued to flourish in the country, as it was considered the cornerstone of national identity. However, it was not until the 1950s, during the communist era, that the former republic took a major step forward in this area by establishing the People’s Art Schools (LŠU for short in Czech and Slovak), known as liduška. These public schools are still active today under the name Basic Art Schools (ZUŠ in Czech and Slovak) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where there are 545[14] and 391[15] of them respectively. Children and teenagers aged five to eighteen can enrol to learn music, dance, visual arts and drama. As Martykánová points out, this is one of the main reasons why Czechs today have such a love for art and why it is so close to their hearts. Thus, the country’s youngest citizens have the opportunity to learn and develop their artistic talent and, if they excel, they can continue at other art academies or conservatories. This is certainly a very effective way of promoting creativity as a hobby, and even as a profession, which is particularly noteworthy today. Today, in a world increasingly marked by technology and digitalisation, and in which, for many people, their favourite pastime is watching series and films on different platforms.
If you take a stroll through any Czech city or town, you will find several art galleries, cafés and bars with small art exhibitions, art workshops… everywhere. Prague is full of them, but they are not only abundant in the capital. They are also very common in smaller towns, such as Uherské Hradiště. This Moravian town is where my journey through these parts began and it holds a special place in my heart. It is home to great friends who welcomed me into Czech society and culture. Two of them are closely linked to art: one teaches art and the other works with ceramics. I am fortunate to have such a good teacher and such a good potter in my life – and even better people – who introduced me, from the very beginning, to the everyday life and artistic nature of this extraordinary country. In part, they are the reason why I have written these lines, as their passion and dedication have been a source of inspiration for me.
Given the Czech people’s deep-rooted love of art, it is hardly surprising that a cartoon character is one of the country’s most cherished symbols. This is a society that has been familiar with art since childhood, thanks in part to the art schools that were established during the communist era. This is an example of how all historical periods have their ups and downs, whether in democratic, authoritarian or dictatorial regimes. Krtek is a Czech icon from the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia, but he is not identified with communism because he is much more valuable than any type of regime or political system. He is a cultural expression, and culture survives any regime because it is a sign of identity. A cultural expression that endures over time as much more than an animated character: as a national symbol.
Krtek, a film star and a national symbol © 2026 by Celia Pérez Carrascosa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
[1] Krtkovi zajistil kalhoty, auto i slávu. Před 100 lety se narodil Zdeněk Miler Česká televize 21.02.2021 https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/kultura/krtkovi-zajistil-kalhoty-auto-i-slavu-pred-100-lety-se-narodil-zdenek-miler-37640
[2] Czechoslovak Film in the hands of the state. Eighty years since the decree on measures in the film industry Marek Danko, Filmovy Prehled 06.02.2026
[3] Studio Bratři v triku – Galerie Platýz https://www.galerieplatyz.cz/autori/studio-bratri-v-triku
[4] Zdeňka Milera proslavil málomluvný krtek Česká televize 21.02.2011 https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/kultura/zdenka-milera-proslavil-malomluvny-krtek-224948
[5] La reina de las nieves Pre Ghibli, Studio Ghibli Weblog https://studioghibliweblog.es/2018/09/17/reina/
[6] Končí animovaný projekt Krtek a Panda. Nectí ducha Milerova původního příběhu IDNES.cz 23.11.2020 https://www.idnes.cz/kultura/film-televize/krtek-a-panda-zdenek-miler-cina-cesko-soudni-spor-autorska-prava.A201123_073411_filmvideo_kzem
[7] Japonci propadli krtečkovi Radiožurnal 27.02.2011 https://radiozurnal.rozhlas.cz/japonci-propadli-krteckovi-6273684
[8] Do kosmu s Krtkem https://krtek2018.cz/
[9] Basic Law of 21 December 1867 on the General Rights of Nationals in the Kingdoms and Länder represented in the Council of the Realm https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Erv/ERV_1867_142/ERV_1867_142.pdf
[10] Vznik a vývoj českého středního školství v 19. století Veselá, Zdenka 28.11.2024 https://digilib.phil.muni.cz/sites/default/files/pdf/112888.pdf
[11] La reforma escolar de María Teresa: la educación obligatoria en las Tierras Checas Carlos Ferrer, Radio Praga 06.05.2017 https://espanol.radio.cz/la-reforma-escolar-de-maria-teresa-la-educacion-obligatoria-en-las-tierras-8193616
[12] Stručný životopis Antonína Dvořaka Narodní Muzeum https://antonindvorak.nm.cz/cs/informace/zivotopis
[13] Hudební matice Umělecké besedy, Antonín Dvořák Narodní Muzeum https://antonindvorak.nm.cz/cs/lide/detail/hudebni-matice-umelecke-besedy/1312
[14] Seznam základních uměleckých škol v ČR https://www.izus.cz/kontakt/seznam_zakladnich_umeleckych_skol_v_cr/
[15] Zoznam základných umeleckých škôl v SR https://www.izus.cz/kontakt/seznam_zakladnich_umeleckych_skol_v_sr/
