by Tim Harry

Created on: October 19, 2009

Even today many people still believe that Donald Duck comics were once banned in Finland, and yet it is just one of the numerous urban legends that live on into the current day.

The basis of the urban legend states that Donald Duck comics were withdrawn for sale in Finland because Donald failed to wear trousers or shorts, and was thus naked from the waist down. A secondary factor in the supposed ban was the fact that his relationship with Daisy Duck had not been confirmed in marriage.

As with the most successful urban legends there is a small grain of truth in the story, although it is a really small grain. The basis of the urban legend started in 1977 in Helsinki, Finland. Prior to this date, the city of Helsinki, as well as the wider Finnish government, had invested heavily to improve the literacy rate of their citizens. To this end comic books had been purchased for schools, libraries and youth centres. It was a relatively successful program, but critics did point out that it was to the detriment of more physical pastimes, also required of the country's youth.

Helsinki though was faced with the problem though that the nation was facing a financial shortfall, and budget cutbacks were needed. One of the first things that was cut was the purchasing of comic books, a move that was proposed by Markku Holopainen, a Finnish politician.

Holopainen in 1978 stood for election as a Liberal candidate to the Finnish parliament, and his backing of the comic book cut was used against him. As with any political campaign, Holopainen's opponent used everything he could to lower the reputation of Holopainen, and it was at this point that Holopainen was described as the man who banned Donald Duck. Although of course Donald Duck had not been banned, it was just that Helsinki city was not paying for the comics any longer.

Finnish and international newspapers soon took up the story, and without looking into the facts, embellished the story. Soon the story grew to a point where the ban was based upon the fact that Donald Duck was not wearing any trousers.

It is also often stated as fact that Donald Duck cartoon films have been banned but again there is no real truth to these tales. It is true that some Donald Duck films are no longer shown on television but this is down to one of two main reasons, either the original cartoons no longer exist, or else there are totally dated. How does a Donald Duck cartoon become dated? Well the simple fact is that during the Second World War, Donald Duck and other Disney cartoons were a form of propaganda for the masses. Cartoons were shown at the same time as the main feature at cinemas and it was an easy and quick method to supplement the message of supporting the war effort.

Donald Duck though was and remains one of the most popular of all cartoon characters in Finland and Scandinavia.

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