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Václav Havel
Czech statesman, playwright, and former dissident, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic (1936–2011) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Václav Havel (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvaːtslaf ˈɦavɛl] ( listen)), 5 October 1936–18 December 2011, was a Czech playwright, essayist, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia (1989–92). He then became the first President of the Czech Republic (1993–2003). He wrote more than twenty plays and many non-fiction works. Many of them were translated into multiple languages.
Václav Havel | |
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1st President of the Czech Republic | |
In office 2 February 1993 – 2 February 2003 | |
Prime Minister | Václav Klaus Josef Tošovský Miloš Zeman Vladimír Špidla |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Václav Klaus |
10th President of Czechoslovakia | |
In office 29 December 1989 – 20 July 1992 | |
Prime Minister | Marián Čalfa Jan Stráský |
Preceded by | Gustáv Husák |
Succeeded by | Jan Stráský (acting) |
Personal details | |
Born | (1936-10-05)5 October 1936 Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) |
Died | 18 December 2011(2011-12-18) (aged 75) Hrádeček, Czech Republic |
Political party | Civic Forum |
Spouse(s) | Olga Šplíchalová (1964–1996, her death) Dagmar Veškrnová (1997–2011, his death) |
Alma mater | Czech Technical University in Prague Faculty of Theatre |
Profession | Playwright |
Signature | ![]() |
Website | www.vaclavhavel.cz www.vaclavhavel-library.org |
Beginning in the 1960s, Havel mostly wrote about the politics of Czechoslovakia. After the Prague Spring, he became more and more active against the government. In 1977, he became famous internationally for his work on the human rights manifesto, Charter 77. He became known as a leader of the opposition in Czechoslovakia. He was also sent to prison for these activities. The 1989, Havel became president during the "Velvet Revolution". As president, he led Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic to an open democracy with several political parties. His country changed greatly during the thirteen years he was president. The Czech Republic separated from Slovakia, even though Havel was against separation. The Czech Republic also joined NATO and started negotiating membership in the European Union. The country became a member of the EU in 2004. He was one of the first people to sign the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism.[1]