Václav Havel
Born 1936 · Age 89
Czech playwright, essayist, dissident and statesman; last President of Czechoslovakia (1989–1992) and first President of the Czech Republic (1993–2003). Leader of Charter 77, Civic Forum, author of major plays and political essays, longtime human-rights activist.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Prague
Václav Havel is born to Božena (née Vavrečková) and Václav Havel into a wealthy, culturally prominent Prague family.
Communist coup and family property confiscated
Communist Party seizes control of Czechoslovakia; Havel family declared class enemies and much of the family's property is confiscated by the state.
Apprenticeship & night classes begin
Because of class background Havel enters a four-year apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory assistant and attends evening gymnasium classes.
Completed secondary education
Completes his secondary education (finished night-school gymnasium studies).
First journal articles published; college enrollment
Publishes his first journal articles and enrolls in a technical college to study economics (Czech Technical University).
Military service; amateur regiment theatre
Performs compulsory military service (1957–59) and starts an amateur theatre company within his regiment; first original play in regiment declared anti-army.
Begins theater work (stagehand at ABC Theatre)
After military service and being refused entry to AMU for drama, Havel begins work as a stagehand at Prague's ABC Theatre and later Theatre on the Balustrade; studies dramatic arts by correspondence at DAMU.
Premiere of The Garden Party
The Garden Party, Havel's first full-length play, premieres at the Theatre on the Balustrade, gaining international notice.
Marries Olga Šplíchalová
Secret marriage to Olga Šplíchalová at Žižkov Town Hall; the couple announce marriage one week later.
StB first attempts to recruit / monitor
State Security (StB) first directly intrudes into his life (attempted recruitment) and soon begins sustained surveillance.
Premiere of The Memorandum (Vyrozumění)
The Memorandum premieres (July 26, 1965) at the Theatre on the Balustrade and later is staged in New York (Public Theater), extending Havel's international reputation.
First book Protocols published; completes DAMU correspondence studies
Publishes Protocols (collection of plays/essays) and completes correspondence studies at DAMU.
New York production of The Memorandum
The Memorandum is staged in English at the Public Theater in New York (1968), establishing Havel's reputation in the United States; production later wins an Obie.
Dubček becomes First Secretary; Havel elected to new writers' circle
Alexander Dubček starts Prague Spring reforms; Havel helps form and chairs a new circle within the Writers' Union calling for liberalization.
Premiere of The Increased Difficulty of Concentration
Theatre on the Balustrade premieres The Increased Difficulty of Concentration.
Warsaw Pact invasion; blacklisting
Warsaw Pact forces invade Czechoslovakia (Aug 20–21); Havel's plays are banned and his passport is confiscated; he becomes increasingly politically active.
Second Obie award
Wins a second Obie award for The Increased Difficulty of Concentration (New York production, 1970).
Writes Letter to Gustáv Husák; authors Vaněk plays
Publishes open Letter to President Husák criticizing the regime; writes Vaněk plays including Audience and A Private View while working at a brewery — works circulated in samizdat.
Plastic People trial sparks activism
Trial and sentencing of members of The Plastic People of the Universe galvanize Havel and others; he acts as liaison to foreign press and protest organizer.
Charter 77 published; becomes spokesperson
Charter 77 document is printed in West Germany; Havel becomes a spokesperson for the movement and is imprisoned for approximately five months for his involvement.
Co-founds VONS (Committee for Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted)
Foundation/announcement of VONS (Výbor na obranu nespravedlivě stíhaných) with Havel among founders to support persecuted individuals.
Publishes essay The Power of the Powerless
Circulates 'The Power of the Powerless', a seminal essay analyzing totalitarianism and calling for 'living in the truth.'
Arrest and trial of VONS members; long prison sentence
StB arrests VONS members including Havel; trial Oct 22–23 results in a four-and-a-half-year sentence; longest prison term begins (May 1979–Feb 1983).
Prison illness and transfers
Havel becomes ill in July 1981; transferred to a prison hospital in Prague and later to Plzeň-Bory prison; requests for release denied in December.
Honorary doctorate from York University (in absentia)
Receives an honorary doctoral degree from York University in Toronto while imprisoned (accepted in abstentia).
Letters to Olga published in samizdat; sentence suspended
Letters to Olga (letters written from prison 1979–1982) circulated in samizdat; Havel's sentence is suspended Feb 7, 1983 for health reasons and he is released under surveillance.
Amnesty from remainder of sentence (1985)
Havel was given amnesty from the remainder of his prison sentence in September 1985 after earlier suspension and release.
Jan Tříska reads Havel's Erasmus Prize acceptance
At the Erasmus Prize ceremony in Rotterdam (Nov 13, 1986), actor Jan Tříska read an acceptance speech prepared by Havel (who was still suppressed).
Receives Erasmus Prize
Awarded the Erasmus Prize in recognition of his significant contribution to European culture; Jan 1986 (ceremony Nov 13: Jan Tříska read Havel's speech).
Tomorrow We’ll Fire It Up performed (legally without credit)
Play Zítra to spustíme performed legally (no credit) at the Theater on a String in Brno — sign of changing cultural climate.
Police suppress student demonstration; Velvet Revolution begins
Police violently suppress a student demonstration on Nov 17; Havel returns from Hrádeček and becomes central leader of the Velvet Revolution.
Civic Forum founded
Havel and other opposition spokespeople form Civic Forum (Občanské fórum) as a coalition to oppose Communist control and negotiate reforms.
First public address during the revolution
Havel speaks from the balcony of the Melantrich publishing house to ~200,000 demonstrators on Wenceslas Square—consolidates his role as a national leader.
Elected President of Czechoslovakia
Havel is unanimously elected President of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic by the Federal Assembly following the Velvet Revolution.
General amnesty issued as president
Early in his presidency Havel issued a general amnesty to relieve overcrowded prisons and free political prisoners; the amnesty proved controversial and was linked to a subsequent rise in crime (total crimes and murders reported to double in immediate aftermath).
Prize For Freedom (Liberal International)
Awarded the Prize For Freedom by the Liberal International soon after election in 1990.
Involved in founding/strengthening of Visegrad cooperation
As early as 9 April 1990 encouraged meetings (Bratislava meeting) pointing to cooperation between Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland that became the Visegrad cooperation.
Addresses issues of Sudeten Germans & general amnesty controversy
As president Havel condemned the post-WWII expulsion of Sudeten Germans as immoral and granted a general amnesty that was domestically controversial.
Receives international honors and honorary doctorates during/after imprisonment
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Havel received multiple honorary doctorates (e.g., York University 1982; University of Toulouse 1982/ceremony 1984) and many international awards.
Civic Forum sweeping victory in first free elections
In 1990 free elections Civic Forum (and Slovak Public Against Violence) achieved a sweeping victory, commanding majorities in both houses.
Appeal to army and security forces
During revolutionary events Havel and Civic Forum appealed publicly to the army and security forces to protect citizens' interests and not to intervene violently.
Receives Prize For Freedom (Liberal International)
Awarded the Prize For Freedom in 1990 shortly after election; recognition of his role in democracy promotion.
Theaters and books of Havel reappear in Czechoslovakia
After 20 years of censorship, Havel's plays are staged again in the country and his essays/works are published domestically (1990–1992 period).
Address to U.S. Congress
Gives an address to both houses of the United States Congress (Feb 21, 1990) as president of Czechoslovakia.
Announces dissolution of the Warsaw Pact on behalf of Czechoslovakia
As high representative, Havel announces in Prague the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact infrastructure (1 July 1991).
Fails to be re-elected as president of Czechoslovakia
On 3 July 1992, Havel seeks re-election but fails to obtain a majority because of lack of support from Slovak deputies amid federation tensions.
Resigns presidency of Czechoslovakia
Resigns on 20 July 1992, stating he will not preside over the breakup of the federation following the Slovak Declaration of Independence.
Supports retention of federal state (prior to split)
Throughout 1992 Havel campaigned and worked to preserve the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, opposing immediate Slovak independence.
Elected first President of the Czech Republic
After the split of Czechoslovakia (1 Jan 1993), Havel is elected on 26 January 1993 as the first President of the Czech Republic.
Founding of Forum 2000 (initiated)
Begins hosting Forum 2000 (international conference) to discuss challenges facing civilization; annual conferences begin in 1997.
Death of Olga Havlová (wife)
Olga Havlová, Havel's wife of 32 years, dies of cancer at age 62 (27 Jan 1996).
Lung cancer diagnosed / surgery
In December 1996 Havel, a longtime chain smoker, is diagnosed with lung cancer and undergoes surgery (Dec 2, 1996 operation removing cancerous tumour from his lungs). He later quit smoking.
Re-elected President of the Czech Republic
Havel is elected to a second presidential term (1998); remains influential in NATO accession talks and human-rights advocacy.
Establishes Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97
Announcement/establishment of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 (18 July 1998) to support science, culture and humanitarianism.
Czech Republic joins NATO
The Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary join NATO (12 March 1999) — a policy Havel vigorously supported.
Speaker at major international events; advocacy for NATO enlargement
Continues active international diplomacy and advocacy for NATO enlargement and European integration including leadership roles at summits.
Receives U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (approx.)
Awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (the text indicates he received this honor during post-presidential years; commonly cited year is 2003).
Signs letter supporting planned U.S. invasion of Iraq
On 30 January 2003 Havel signs the 'Letter of the Eight' supporting planned U.S. intervention in Iraq.
Steps down as President
Concludes second term and leaves the presidency on 2 February 2003; succeeded by Václav Klaus later that month (28 Feb 2003 election).
Václav Havel Library established
The Václav Havel Library is established (26 July 2004) to preserve his writings, archive and legacy.
Kluge Chair (Library of Congress)
Occupies the Kluge Chair for Modern Culture at the John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress, for research on human rights (2005).
Hunger strike in support of human-rights activist
In 2007 Havel went on a hunger strike to support Kurdish doctor/activist Yekta Uzunoglu in his legal battle—a unique act by a former president.
Supports Belarus Free Theatre; meets troupe
On 4 August 2007 Havel meets members of the Belarus Free Theatre at his summer cottage, continuing his support for dissident artists.
Publishes memoir To the Castle and Back
Publishes memoir 'To the Castle and Back' (May 2007), mixing interviews, memoranda and diary recollections about his presidency and life.
Publishes play Leaving
Publishes his first new play in almost two decades, 'Leaving' (Nov 2007).
Member of European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation
Became a member of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (2008) and continued human-rights advocacy.
Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism (support/launch)
Associated with initiatives such as the Prague Declaration (calls for condemnation/education about crimes of communism) and other post-presidential activism.
World premiere of Leaving (play)
World premiere of Leaving at the Archa Theatre in Prague (22 May 2008) to standing ovations; later has English and US premieres.
Meets President Barack Obama in Prague
Meets U.S. President Barack Obama privately before Obama's departure from the EU–US summit in Prague (April 2009).
Directs film Leaving; film premieres 22 March 2011
Directs a film adaptation of his play 'Leaving' which premieres in the Czech Republic on 22 March 2011.
Death at Hrádeček
Dies at his country home in Hrádeček on 18 December 2011; funeral and national mourning follow; ashes interred at Vinohrady Cemetery.
Prague airport renamed Václav Havel Airport Prague (posthumous)
On 5 October 2012 Prague's international airport is officially renamed Václav Havel Airport Prague in his honour (posthumous recognition).
Key Achievement Ages
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