Thirty Cases of Major Zeman

Thirty Cases of Major Zeman (Třicet případů majora Zemana) is a Czechoslovak action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The series were filmed in the 1970s.

Thirty Cases of Major Zeman
Vladimír Brabec as Major Jan Zeman
CzechTřicet případů majora Zemana
Created byJiří Sequens
Starring
Country of originCzechoslovak Socialist Republic
Original languages
  • Czech
  • Slovak
No. of episodes30 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time45-90 min
Release
Original networkCzechoslovak Television
Original release1975 (1975) –
1980 (1980)

Each episode encompasses one year, and investigations are stylized to that year. Most are inspired by real cases. The series follows the life of police investigator Jan Zeman during his career from 1945 to 1973.

Controversy

A re-broadcast of the series in the Czech Republic in 1999, caused controversy and public criticism about the series, which was accused of conveying communist propaganda and portraying those who think differently politically as criminals.[1]

Plot of the first episode

The first episode takes place in 1945. Young Jan Zeman is returning from a Nazi concentration camp. On the train he meets Václav Kalina, who tells him about his plan to join the police force. Jan returns to his home village and finds only his mother there. He discovers that his father has been murdered during the celebrations. The police are unable to find the murderer and close the case. Jan begins investigating on his own. He reveals a conspiracy and calls his friend Václav Kalina at Brno police headquarters; eventually, the murderers are captured. Kalina induces Jan to join the police and serve with him.

List of episodes
EpisodeDateTitleAired
11945Smrt u jezera (Death at the Lake)1974
21946Vyznavači ohně (Fire Devotees)1974
31947Loupež sladkého I (The Robbery of the Sweet I) - About profiteering on deficiency of Insulin.1974
41947Rubínové kříže (Ruby Crosses) - inspired by Bandera's terrorist activities on the Czechoslovak territory.1975
51948Hon na lišku (Fox Hunt) - section about Victorious February1975
61949Bestie (The Beast) - about illegal crossing of the Czechoslovak state border, inspired by Hubert Pilčík1975
71950Mědirytina (The Copperplate) - about counterfeiting of Ration stamps used until 1953.1975
81951Strach (Fear) - inspired by Mašín's sons1975
91952Loď do Hamburku (The Riverboat to Hamburg) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha.1975
101953Vrah se skrývá v poli (The Murderer Hides in the Field)1975
111954Křížová cesta (Way of the Cross) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha.1976
121955Kleště (The Tongs) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha.1976
131956Romance o nenápadné paní (Romance of an Unobtrusive Lady)1976
141957Konec velké šance (The End of Great Chance) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha.1976
151958Kvadratura ženy (Woman Quadrature) - about dissected female body.1976
161959Dáma s erbem (The Lady with a Coat of Arms)1976
171960Prokleté dědictví (The Cursed Heritage)1976
181961Bílé linky (The White Lines)1976
191962Třetí housle (The Third Violin)1976
201963Modrá světla (Blue Lights)1976
211964Pán ze Salcburku (A Gentleman from Salzburg)1978
221965Tatranské pastorále (High Tatra Pastorale)1978
231966Šťastný a veselý (Happy New Year)1978
241967Klauni (Clowns)1978
251968Štvanice (The Hunt) - episode about end of political steps to the freedom.1978
261969Studna (The Well) - horror episode about apocalyptic deaths in a country house.1978
271970Rukojmí v Bella Vista (The Bella Vista Hostage)- episode about sabotage against Czech shipment for Chile. Spy story having allusion to political situation in Chile1978
281971Poselství z neznámé země (The Message from an Unknown Land) - continue of The Bella Vista Hostage1978
291972Mimikry (Mimicry) - episode about plane hijack, with allusion to the music band Plastic People and young long-haired sympathizers of rock music called máničky.1978
301973Růže pro Zemana (The Rose for Zeman)1979
Screenshot of the episode "Mimikry (Mimicry)", showing máničky as a harmful, criminal and drug-using social class.

See also

References
  1. Peter S. Green (1999-10-01). "History or Propaganda?/ Communist-Era TV Show Stages a Controversial Return : 'Major Zeman' Leads Czechs to Question Their Past". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
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