helgeks

Helgeks are a genre of Russian internet memes and online culture that emerged in the early 2010s. The term "helgex" or "helgeks" is derived from a combination of the words "Helmut" and "tex," with the '-eks' suffix implying a plural or scientific tone. However, the term is often used to refer to a specific individual or a particular style of online behavior.

Helgeks are often seen as caricatures of Russian internet culture, characterized by a peculiar blend of linguistic, cultural, and historical references. They frequently take the form of photographs or videos of people, often with a mocking or ironic tone. In these depictions, the individuals in question are typically portrayed as displaying eccentric behavior, using outdated slang, or engaging in seemingly absurd or passive-aggressive actions.

The concept of helgeks can be attributed to the Russian online communities, such as VKontakte (VK), where they originated. On these platforms, users would create mock profiles and personas, often incorporating elements of Soviet-era culture, technological anachronisms, and ostensible social awkwardness. The helgex movement gained popularity and eventually spread to other parts of the internet, where they are now endlessly memefied and revisited.

Helgeks are often symbolic of nostalgia for Soviet-era Soviet little deals of the 1980s-1990s and contrast with modern online cultural movements.