The symbol of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow was a bear. He was affectionately christened an Olympic bear and was considered "more charming and more humane than the monotonously beautiful and purposeful poster builders of communism." "Affectionate Misha", without any doubt, deserved a happier fate than the one that was prepared for him.
Parting tears
When the symbol of the Summer Olympics flew away, more than two billion people from all over the world simply cried bitterly. It's hard to believe, but their eyes were literally filled with tears the size of an apple! At that time, no one could even imagine where the Soviet Olympic bear, so beloved by everyone, would fly away. It is curious that the versions of his "route" still differ.
Goodbye, our affectionate Misha
According to one version, fate took the Olympic bear to the outskirts of Moscow. There he allegedly knocked down a Soviet beer booth and greatly frightened passers-by. Another version says that a huge balloon in the form of the mascot of the Summer Olympic Games, held in 1980 in Moscow, left the stadium in Luzhniki, landing on the Sparrow (at that time - Lenin) Hills near Moscow University (today - Moscow State University) …
National heritage
After landing, the fate of the symbol of the 1980 Olympics becomes more or less clear. After some time, the Olympic bear was installed in one of the pavilions of the VDNKh metro station in Moscow. There he stood for some time together with other achievements of the "national economy": with a cow-record holder and with a monstrous tractor "Kirovets".
This year, Russia again hosted the Olympic Games. Only not summer, but winter. Everything went at a high level, except for one incident: during the opening ceremony, one of the Olympic rings did not immediately open.
Failed deal
Some time later, a commercial offer was received from a certain West German company to buy a rubber Olympic bear. The tax for the rubber mascot of the 1980 Olympic Games was 100,000 marks. But the sale and purchase transaction never took place. Soviet patriotism turned out to be higher than "commercial deals"!
What happened to the Olympic bear?
When the export of the rubber symbol of the 1980 Olympics did not take place, the cultural heritage of the Soviet era was hidden in one of the basements of the USSR Olympic Committee. No one then could have imagined what would become of everyone's beloved "affectionate Misha": in the basement he was simply gnawed by rats! Apparently, being a "dinner" for rats is much more worthy than being an export abroad.
One of the current symbols of the Sochi 2014 Olympics is the polar bear. It is curious that he was christened the grandson of that very Soviet Olympic bear.
No matter how ridiculous the fate of the Soviet bear may be, it has settled forever in the hearts of the older generation. As they say, he flew away, but promised to return!
