04/08/2026
🇨🇭 Every country has childhood icons. These are Switzerland’s.
Some characters entertain us for a few years. Others become part of a country’s collective memory.
Switzerland has created several figures that travelled far beyond its borders:
🏔️ Heidi, published in 1880, became one of the world’s most translated stories and helped shape the international image of the Swiss Alps.
🐧 Pingu, created near Zurich in 1986, proved that children everywhere could understand the same character, even without a single real word.
🐦 Globi, born in 1932 as a department-store mascot, grew into a national icon known for his curiosity, mischief and unmistakable chequered trousers.
🔔 Schellen-Ursli introduced generations of readers to Chalandamarz, the centuries-old spring tradition of the Engadin.
🐴 Yakari, created by Swiss authors Job and Derib, became an international comic-book success, selling millions of copies in many languages.
💬 Titeuf, created by Zep in 1992, turned the awkward moments of childhood into stories recognised by children across Europe and beyond.
These characters come from different eras, regions and formats, but they share one thing: they became much more than entertainment. They are part of Switzerland’s cultural heritage.
Which one do you remember most from your childhood? 👇
