Fievel is a fictional young Russian‑Jewish mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz , the main character of the 1986 animated film An American Tail and its sequels.

Who Fievel Is

  • Fievel Mousekewitz is a brave but naïve mouse who emigrates with his family from the Russian Empire to the United States in the late 19th century.
  • During the voyage he is separated from his family in a storm, and the movies follow his adventures as he tries to find them “somewhere out there” in America.

Character background

  • Fievel is portrayed as high‑spirited, curious, and often in danger because of his reckless but innocent actions, yet he rarely gives up.
  • He is the only son of Papa and Mama Mousekewitz, with an older sister Tanya, and their story reflects Jewish immigrant experiences of persecution and hope.

Name and creation

  • The name Fievel comes from the Yiddish name of Steven Spielberg’s maternal grandfather, whose immigrant stories helped inspire the character and film.
  • The character became a recognizable 1980s/1990s animation icon and was even used as a children’s spokesperson for UNICEF because of his association with themes of courage and migration.

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