Borduria
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Borduria is a fictional country in the adventures of Tintin. It is located in the Balkans, probably in what is currently the eastern half of Slovenia. It is first a parody of a fascist state and later of a stereotypical Eastern bloc country.
Not much is known about Borduria, since it has been rather closed country. Borduria’s capital is Szohôd. Borduria seems to have a preference for military governments or governments with a facade of democracy but with military powers pulling all the strings behind the scenes.
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Local/Internal affairs
Unnamed aggressive military government
In 1939, its political system was reminiscent of fascist or national socialist government. It unsuccessfully attempted to take over its neighbor Syldavia, which it is historically linked to. (This was analogous to, and possibly and indictment of, the Nazi Germany take-over of Austria.)
Taschist Borduria
By 1956, Borduria was reminiscent of a stereotypical Eastern Bloc country complete with its own secret police (ZEP), military dictator, Kurvi-Tasch, whose name is a combination of his moustache (Look at the flag) and his ideology, and the "taschist" ideology which in all indications seems to be identical to Stalinism with a more militaristic edge. The statue of Kurvi-Tasch in a Nazi-like salute in front of a government building is an overt comparison between him and Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin. The ubiquity of the his moustache, "the whiskers of Kurvi-Tasch", seems to be similar to the swastika or hammer and sickle in its (over) use (frequently seeing use as a diacritical mark!).
Foreign Affairs
In 1976, the Bordurian government supported General Tapioca, the current ruler of San Theodoros, a fictional banana republic in South America, and even sent him military advisors. Officially, General Tapioca and San Theodoros are subscribers to the "taschist" ideology, proof of this seen on page 22 of Tintin and the Picaros when Colonel Sponz is talking with Colonel Alvarez in the former's San Theodorian office the latter hits a bust of Kurvi-Tasch with a cork. Another common point between both countries is their tradition of military leadership of the state and government and in that respect the many colonels that they hire...
Weaponry
Borduria is still looking for superior weapons to impose their will upon the world. No wonder, since even their landmines were defective.
Sources
Tintin albums featuring Borduria:
- Le Sceptre d’Ottokar (King Ottokar's Sceptre, 1939)
- L’Affaire Tournesol (The Calculus Affair, 1956)
- Colonel Sponsz of Borduria features in Tintin et les Picaros (Tintin and the Picaros, 1976)fr:Bordurie