Kindziulis

Not to be confused with Kindziukas.

Kindziulis is a fictional character from Lithuanian joke cycle commonly known as "Here came Kindzulis" (Lithuanian: Čia priėjo Kindziulis). The punch lines of the jokes of this cycle start with the standard phrase "Here comes Kinzsiulis and says:..."[1] The Kindziulis character was created by theatre director Vytautas Mikalauskas [lt] and these jokes, written by collective efforts, were regularly printed in the Lithuanian satirical magazine Šluota.[2]

During the Communist times many of them were an element of Communist propaganda:

A tourist asks, why the Bundestag building is round?

Here comes Kindziulis and says: Where have you seen a circus of a different shape?[2]

Kindziulis jokes have become less popular in post-Soviet times.[3]

Sample jokes from the Union of Lithuanian Journalists website:[4]

Two citizens are talking: As the building materials became more expensive, it is simply impossible to build a house or an apartment!

Here comes Kindziulis and advises: Build yurts.

A company boss says to an applicant:

- I hire only people with exemplary behavior.

Here comes Kindziulis and says:

- Well, he was just released from prison ahead of time for the exemplary behavior.

Journalist and writer Juozas Bulota [lt], a long-time editor-in-chief of Šluota, published the collections of jokes titled Čia priėjo Kindziulis several times (1970, 1972, 1982).[5]

References

1. Čia priėjo Kindziulis, Šluota, September 25, 2022
2. The Storytelling Human. Lithuanian Folk Tradition Today, 2021, ISBN 9781644694251 p.249
3. Soviet Society in the Era of Late Socialism, 1964-1985, 2013, ISBN 0739175831, p. 113
4. Pasijuokime kartu. Archyvas :: Čia priéjo Kindziulis...
5. Juozas Bulota. Čia priėjo Kindziulis. – Vilnius: Mintis, 1982.