Download or read book Vaclav Havel and the Velvet Revolution written by Jeffrey Symynkywicz and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A biography of Vaclav Havel, the dissident Czechoslovak playwright who spent years fighting for freedom of expression and eventually was elected president of a free and independent Czechoslovak republic.
Download or read book A Velvet Revolution written by John Duberstein and published by Morgan Reynolds Publishing. This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vaclav Havel spent most of his life as a dissident playwright in Communist-controlled Czechoslovakia. Born in 1936, Havel was a young child during World War II, as the Nazis occupied and brutalized Czechoslovakia. After the war, his country, along with the rest of Eastern Europe, fell under the control of the Soviet Union. A short period of liberalization in 1968, which came to be called the Prague Spring, was quickly ended by a brutal military crackdown. Havel's works, which were mostly protests against totalitarianism written in the form of absurdist drama, were officially banned in 1971. Frustrated by restrictions on his writing, Havel began to direct his anger toward political action. Then, in a climactic event that shocked the world, Czechoslovakia's Communist dictatorship collapsed in 1989 in what became known as the Velvet Revolution, and Havel, the country's most famous dissident, was made president. During a sometimes rocky tenure, Havel worked to bring stability to his country and presided over the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into two democratic republics. Detailing one of the twentieth century's most unusual but dynamic political figures, this new biography of Vaclav Havel tells his intriguing and inspiring story for a new generation of readers. Book jacket.
Download or read book Czechoslovakia written by NA NA and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-30 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A decade ago, playwright dissident Václav Havel led an almost bloodless revolution against Czechoslovakia's hardline communist regime. In the years that followed, the country split apart into two independent Czech and Slovak states, each taking radically different paths to reform. This book examines the core issues at work in the last decade, focusing on the political, economic, and philosophical underpinnings of the reform process.
Download or read book After the Velvet Revolution written by Tim D. Whipple and published by University Press of America. This book was released on 1991 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contains primary source material.
Download or read book Havel written by Michael Zantovsky and published by Open Road + Grove/Atlantic. This book was released on 2014-11-04 with total page 570 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The “definitive biography” of the poet and political dissident who became the last president of Czechoslovakia—and first president of the Czech Republic (Walter Isaacson). This portrait of Vaclav Havel, iconoclast and intellectual, renowned playwright turned political dissident, president of a united then divided nation, and dedicated human rights activist, is written by his former press secretary, advisor, and longtime friend—and recounts the turbulent twentieth-century era through which he prevailed. Havel’s lifelong perspective as an outsider began with his privileged childhood in Prague and his family’s blacklisted status following the Communist coup of 1948. This feeling of being outcast fueled his career as an essayist and a dramatist writing absurdist plays as social commentary. His involvement during the Prague Spring and his leadership of Charter 77, his unflagging belief in the power of the powerless, and his galvanizing personality catapulted Havel into a pivotal role as the leader of the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Although Havel was a courageous visionary, he was also a man of great contradictions, wracked with doubt and self-criticism. But he always remained true to himself. This “smart and exciting” biography is “both inspiring and filled with lessons for our time” (Walter Isaacson). “Havel was one of the most important intellectual-troublemaking statesmen of his time—a nonconformist, determined to live in truth, who questioned the system, his countrymen and himself constantly. No one is better suited than Michael Zantovsky to describe, interpret, and analyze this moral giant . . . A brilliantly informed intellectual and political history.” —Madeleine Albright “Entertaining, intimate, and moving . . . Zantovsky’s voice—that of a natural storyteller with an eye for the memorable anecdote, a mischievous wit, an easy intelligence, and keen sense of balance and fairness—is so engaging.” —Paul Wilson, The New York Review of Books
Download or read book The Czech Republic written by Robert C. Cottrell and published by Infobase Publishing. This book was released on 2005 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Looks at the history of the borders in the Czech Republic as a result of political, territorial, and economic disputes, and discusses the Velvet Revolution.
Download or read book Resistance and Revolution written by Rob McRae and published by McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. This book was released on 1997-06-15 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under constant pressure from the regime, and frequently jailed or imprisoned for their efforts, the signatories of Charter 77 went on to lead the resistance and spearhead a revolution: the Velvet Revolution of 1989. For a time it seemed as if a philosopher-king had overturned the forces of totalitarianism, with the future of Czechoslovakia there for the making.
Download or read book Velvet Revolutions written by Miroslav Vaněk and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates how values such as freedom, work, family, free time, and politics changed in Czech society in the two decades before and after the November 1989 Velvet Revolution. Miroslav Vanek and Pavel Mücke use public opinion polls as well as 300 interviews with Czech citizens to create a multi-layered view of Czech history before 1989 and during the subsequent period of democratic transformation.
Download or read book The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel written by Aviezer Tucker and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2000-08-15 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the Foundations of Political Theory First Book Prize Honorable Mention, 2001Theory meets practice in The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel, a critical study of the philosophy and political practice of the Czech dissident movement Charter 77. Aviezer Tucker examines how the political philosophy of Jan Patocka (1907-1977), founder of Charter 77, influenced the thinking and political leadership of Vaclav Havel as dissident and president. The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel is the first serious treatment of Havel as philosopher and Patocka as a political thinker. Through the Charter 77 dissident movement in Czechoslovakia, opponents of communism based their civil struggle for human rights on philosophic foundations, and members of the Charter 77 later led the Velvet Revolution. After Patocka's self-sacrifice in 1977, Vaclav Havel emerged a strong philosophical and political force, and he continued to apply Patocka's philosophy in order to understand the human condition under late communism and the meaning of dissidence. However, the political/philosophical orientation of the Charter 77 movement failed to provide President Havel with an adequate basis for comprehending and responding to the extraordinary political and economic problems of the postcommunist period. In his discussion of Havel's presidency and the eventual corruption of the Velvet Revolution, Tucker demonstrates that the weaknesses in Charter 77 member's understanding of modernity, which did not matter while they were dissidents, seriously harmed their ability to function in a modern democratic system. Within this context, Tucker also examines Havel's recent attempt to topple the democratic but corrupt government in 1997-1998. The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel will be of interest to students of philosophy and politics, scholars and students of Slavic studies, and historians, as well as anyone fascinated by the nature of dissidence.
Download or read book To the Castle and Back written by Vaclav Havel and published by Vintage Canada. This book was released on 2011-03-11 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An astonishingly candid memoir from the acclaimed, dissident playwright elected President after the dramatic Czechoslovakian Velvet Revolution — one of the most respected political figures of our time. As writer and statesman, Václav Havel played an essential part in the profound changes that occurred in Central Europe in the last decades of the twentieth century. In this most intimate memoir, he writes about his transition from outspoken dissident and political prisoner to a player on the international stage in 1989 as newly elected president of Czechoslovakia after the ousting of the Soviet Union, and, in l993, as president of the newly formed Czech Republic. Havel gives full rein to his impassioned stance against the devastation wrought by communism, but the scope of his concern in this engrossing memoir extends far beyond the circumstances he faced in his own country. The book is full of anecdotes of his interactions with world figures: offering a peace pipe to Mikhail Gorbachev, meditating with the Dali Lama, confessing to Pope John Paul II and partying with Bill and Hilary Clinton. Havel shares his thoughts on the future of the European Union and the role of national identity in today’s world. He explains why he has come to change his mind about the war in Iraq, and he discusses the political and personal reverberations he faces because of his initial support of the invasion. He writes with equal intelligence and candour about subjects as diverse as the arrogance of western power politics, the death of his first wife and his own battle with lung cancer. Woven through are internal memos he wrote during his presidency that take us behind the scenes of the Prague Castle – the government’s seat of power – showing the internal workings of the office and revealing Havel’s mission to act as his country’s conscience, and even, at times, its chief social convenor. Written with characteristic eloquence, wit and well-honed irony combined with an unfailing sense of wonder at the course his life has taken, To the Castle and Back is a revelation of one of the most important political figures of our time.
Download or read book Czechoslovakia written by Robin H. E. Shepherd and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Czechoslovakia started the transition from communism with high hopes. This book looks at the political and economic changes of two countries in transition and argues that much remains to be done before they have shaken off the legacy of a particularly harsh communist past.
Download or read book The Velvet Revolution written by Bernard Wheaton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-02-06 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The vivid portratal of the "Velvet Revolution" describes the dramatic social and political changes that heralded the downfall of the Communist leadership in Czechoslavakia. Bernard Wheaton, one of the few Western observers in the country during the nonviolent change of government in November 1989, and Zdenek Kavan, himself a Czech, interweave firsthand description with interviews of student leaders, press accounts, and scholarly analysis of the historical antecedents of the revolution to bring the extraordinary events of 1989 to life. The authors also trace the evolution of change in Czechoslovakia, weighing the importance of the May 1990 elections and assessing political and social prospects for the future. The narrative is enriched with political cartoons and photographs.
Download or read book KNOW ABOUT VACLAV HAVEL written by Saurabh Singh Chauhan and published by Saurabh Singh Chauhan. This book was released on 2023-09-25 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your welcome to biography of Vaclav Havel.. Václav Havel, a name synonymous with freedom, democracy, and human rights, was a man who embodied the spirit of resistance against oppression. Born into a privileged family in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1936, Havel's life took an unexpected turn when the Communist Party seized power in 1948, confiscating his family's property and denying him access to higher education. Despite these challenges, Havel embarked on a remarkable journey, becoming a renowned playwright and essayist, a leading figure in the Velvet Revolution that toppled the communist regime, and the first president of the newly formed Czech Republic. His unwavering commitment to truth and justice, coupled with his profound understanding of humanity, made him a beacon of hope for millions around the world. This biography delves into the life and legacy of Václav Havel, exploring his formative years, his literary and political contributions, and his enduring impact on the global stage. It is a testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity and champion the cause of freedom. Early Life and Education Havel's childhood was marked by both privilege and hardship. Born into a wealthy family, he enjoyed a comfortable upbringing, attending prestigious schools and immersing himself in the vibrant cultural scene of Prague. However, the Communist takeover in 1948 shattered this idyllic existence. His family's possessions were seized, and he was denied access to higher education due to his bourgeois background. Despite these setbacks, Havel remained undeterred. He found work as a stagehand at a local theater, where he discovered his passion for writing and acting. In 1959, he began writing plays, exploring themes of alienation, absurdity, and the human condition under oppressive regimes. His works quickly gained recognition, earning him a reputation as one of Czechoslovakia's most prominent playwrights. Havel's literary career was interrupted by his political activism. In 1968, he played a pivotal role in the Prague Spring, a brief period of liberalization and reform in Czechoslovakia. When the Soviet Union invaded the country, crushing the Prague Spring, Havel was among those who fiercely resisted the occupation. His outspoken criticism of the regime led to his arrest and imprisonment, but his spirit remained unbroken. The Velvet Revolution and Havel's Rise to Power Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Havel continued to challenge the Communist regime, becoming a leading figure in the human rights movement. In 1977, he co-founded Charter 77, a manifesto calling for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. His unwavering commitment to truth and justice inspired countless others to join the cause. In 1989, the winds of change swept across Eastern Europe, and Czechoslovakia was not immune. As protests erupted against the Communist regime, Havel emerged as a unifying force, leading the Velvet Revolution, a peaceful uprising that brought about the end of Communist rule. In December 1989, Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia, a role he held until the country's dissolution in 1992. Following the split, he became the first president of the newly formed Czech Republic, serving two terms until 2003. Havel's Presidency and Global Impact Havel's presidency was marked by his unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, and European integration. He played a key role in guiding the Czech Republic through its transition to a market economy and its integration into NATO and the European Union. On the global stage, Havel became a respected voice for democracy and human rights. He spoke out against injustice and oppression, advocating for the rights of marginalized groups and promoting dialogue and understanding among different cultures. His eloquent speeches and thoughtful essays resonated with people around the world, earning him the admiration of leaders and intellectuals alike. In 2003, Havel was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, for his outstanding contributions to freedom and democracy. Throughout his life, he received numerous awards and accolades, but his greatest reward was the respect and admiration of those who fought for freedom and justice. Havel's Legacy: A Champion of Freedom and Democracy Václav Havel passed away in 2011, but his legacy lives on. He is remembered as a champion of freedom, democracy, and human rights, a man who inspired millions with his unwavering belief in the power of truth and justice. His life and work serve as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit can prevail, and the pursuit of freedom and justice is an eternal struggle worth fighting for.
Download or read book A Cardboard Castle written by Vojtech Mastny and published by Central European University Press. This book was released on 2005-04-10 with total page 786 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book to document, analyze, and interpret the history of the Warsaw Pact based on the archives of the alliance itself. As suggested by the title, the Soviet bloc military machine that held the West in awe for most of the Cold War does not appear from the inside as formidable as outsiders often believed, nor were its strengths and weaknesses the same at different times in its surprisingly long history, extending for almost half a century. The introductory study by Mastny assesses the controversial origins of the "superfluous" alliance, its subsequent search for a purpose, its crisis and consolidation despite congenital weaknesses, as well as its unexpected demise. Most of the 193 documents included in the book were top secret and have only recently been obtained from Eastern European archives by the PHP project. The majority of the documents were translated specifically for this volume and have never appeared in English before. The introductory remarks to individual documents by co-editor Byrne explain the particular significance of each item. A chronology of the main events in the history of the Warsaw Pact, a list of its leading officials, a selective multilingual bibliography, and an analytical index add to the importance of a publication that sets the new standard as a reference work on the subject and facilitate its use by both students and general readers.
Download or read book The Velvet Revolution Declassified written by United States. Embassy (Czechoslovakia) and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Uncanny Era written by and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2014-05-28 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Czech playwright and dissident Vaclav Havel first encountered Polish historian and dissident Adam Michnik in 1978 at a clandestine meeting on a mountaintop along the Polish-Czechoslovak border. This initial meeting of two extraordinary thinkers who “plotted” democracy, and designed an effective peaceful strategy for dismantling authoritarian regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, resulted in a lifelong friendship and an extraordinary set of bold conversations conducted over the next two postrevolutionary decades. Havel, president of Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic, and Michnik, editor-in-chief of the largest daily newspaper in the region, provide rare insights into the post-1989 challenges to building new democratic institutions and new habits in the context of an increasingly unsettling political culture. With both dismay and humor, their fascinating exchanges wrestle with the essential question of postrevolutionary life: How does one preserve the revolution’s ideals in the real world? At once historically immediate and politically universal, the Havel-Michnik conversations have never before been collected in a single volume in any language.
Download or read book Why So Easily Some Family Reasons for the Velvet Revolution written by Ivo Možný and published by Charles University in Prague, Karolinum Press. This book was released on 2023-04-01 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When communism was ushered into Czechoslovakia, it was supposed to last forever – yet over eleven days in November 1989, this supposedly eternal order collapsed. Why did it fall apart so easily? This respected sociological essay, written in the pivotal years of 1989 and 1990, is now available for the first time in English. Ivo Možný tells the story of a despotic state expropriating the Czechoslovak family and subjugating the personal sphere in exchange for promises of a bright collective future, only for the regime to be vanquished forty years later by the very institution it had dispossessed. The essay explains the reasons for communism’s downfall, examining the private aspirations of whole swaths of nameless social actors that left hardly anyone interested in keeping the regime afloat.
