''Thirty Cases of Major Zeman'' (''Třicet případů majora Zemana'') is a

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...

action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the

Communist Party of Czechoslovakia The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (Czech and Slovak: ''Komunistická strana Československa'', KSČ) was a communist and Marxist–Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992. It was a member of the Cominte ...

. The series were filmed in the 1970s. 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 Communist propaganda is the artistic and social promotion of the ideology of communism, communist worldview, communist society, and interests of the communist movement. While it tends to carry a negative connotation in the Western world, the t ...

and portraying those who think differently politically as criminals.

Plot of the first episode

The first episode takes place in 1945. Young Jan Zeman is returning from a

Nazi concentration camp From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps, (officially) or (more commonly). The Nazi concentration camps are distinguished from other types of Nazi camps such as forced-labor camps, as well as concen ...

. 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 Brno ( , ; german: Brünn ) is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 380,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republic ...

police headquarters; eventually, the murderers are captured. Kalina induces Jan to join the police and serve with him.

List of episodes

References

External links

* *
CSFD Entry
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Fan site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thirty Cases Of Major Zeman 1975 Czechoslovak television series debuts Czechoslovak television series Czech action television series Czech crime television series 1970s Czechoslovak television series Propaganda television broadcasts Czechoslovak Television original programming

Controversy

Plot of the first episode

List of episodes

See also

References

External links