Misha

Misha (Russian Миша ) or Mishka (Russian: Мишка ) is the name of the mascot of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980. It depicts a young bear, ( the Russian Bear, the national animal of Russia) and was the first Olympic mascot, which gained great notoriety.

Mischa played a central role in the opening and closing ceremonies and was imaged on numerous souvenirs; there was even a TV cartoon.

Formation

The Organising Committee of the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1977 called a contest for the best illustration of a bear from which the cartoonist and children 's book illustrator Victor Tschichikow ( Виктор Чижиков ) decided in his favor. He designed a smiling anthropomorphic bear cub with a blue, black, yellow, green, red ( colors of the Olympic rings ) belt with a gold belt buckle has the shape of the five Olympic rings. As the official mascot of the Games Mischa was confirmed on 19 December 1977.

Name

The name Mischa is the short form of the Russian name Michael Mischka and the trivialization of Misha. Misha is also in Russian slang name for a bear in general.

Production

The plush was manufactured in the " faux fur factory" in the Ukrainian city Schowti Vody.