Václav Havel![]() Václav Havel (born 5 October 1936) is a Czech playwright, writer and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia (1989-92) and the first President of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). Beginning in the 1960s, his work turned to focus on the politics of Czechoslovakia. After the Prague Spring, he became increasingly active. In 1977, his involvement with the human rights manifesto Charter 77 brought him international fame as the leader of the opposition in Czechoslovakia; it also led to his imprisonment. The 1989 "Velvet Revolution" launched Havel into the presidency. |