Czechs and World Leaders Mourn Death of Velvet Revolution Leader Vaclav Havel
- Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:45pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(The Blaze/AP) Thousands of Czechs paid tribute to Vaclav Havel on Sunday, braving cold and snow at the spot where the leader of the peaceful anti-communist revolution rallied protesters.
Mourners, some of them too young to remember 1989′s “Velvet Revolution,” met at downtown Wenceslas Square, where Havel once spoke before hundreds of thousands of people expressing their outrage at the repressive communist regime.
They jangled their keys to make noise as anti-communist demonstrators did, sang the national anthem and observed a minute of silence for the playwright-turned politician, who died Sunday.
“His legacy will be that ‘truth and love must prevail over lies and hatred,’” Havel’s former adviser Tomas Sedlacek told the crowd, quoting Havel’s revolutionary motto.
Barbora Rubova, born two years after the end of the repressive communist regime, said it was important to show her respect to the man who helped kick off the fall of the Iron Curtain and served as president of Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic.
“He laid foundations of democracy for us all,” she said.
A black flag flew over Prague Castle, the presidential seat, while many Czechs stood in line to have a chance to light candles to remember Havel. “Mr. President, thank you for democracy,” read a note placed at the monument to the revolution in downtown Prague.
Others visited his villa to lay flowers and light candles. Josef Klik, a 67-year-old, was among the mourners.
“He is an unforgettable person who contributed to the fall of communism,” Klik said. “And after that, he remained a moral authority for ordinary people.”
ABC News on Havel’s death:
Bells tolled from cathedrals and churches across the country at 6 p.m. Prague archbishop Dominik Duka, who spent some time with Havel in a communist prison, said Havel “knew what it meant to lose freedom, be denied dignity, what is repression and imprisonment.”
“I am convinced that we all, no matter what our political or religious views are, should pay respect to him and thank him,” Duka said.
The Czech government meets Monday to declare a period of official mourning. Havel’s body will go on display at the Prague Crossroads, a former church that Havel turned into a space for conferences and artistic events, on Monday and Tuesday and then at Prague Castle on Wednesday and Thursday, officials said.
Czech public television announced it would broadcast Havel’s film version of his last play, “Leaving,” his directorial debut. Czech public radio said it would play some of the favorite music of the noted rock music fan.
Vaclav Klaus, Havel’s political archrival who replaced him as president in 2003, said condolence books will be available for people to sign at the Prague castle the same day.
Klaus called Havel “the symbol of the new era of the Czech state,“ and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg added that Havel ”returned dignity to the Czech nation.”
Tributes poured in from around the world. The founder of the Polish anti-communist Solidarity movement and former president Lech Walesa called Havel “a great fighter for the freedom of nations and for democracy.”
President Barack Obama praised Havel for his “peaceful resistance (that) shook the foundations of an empire, exposed the emptiness of a repressive ideology, and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon.”
Havel’s funeral may take place on Friday, the local CTK news agency reported. Details are being worked out by the government in coordination with Havel’s family.
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Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 1:54pmCzech “Velvet” revolutionary Vaclav Havel dies. Korean Hermit Kingdom Autocrat Kim Jong Il dies. Guess who gets more press?
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:50amI had a chance to visit the Czech Republic on a business trip. The Czechs were very proud of the Velvet Revolution and the peaceful seperation with the Slovacks. The dramatic contrast is with their neighbors in Yougoslovia.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:15amTwo deaths, opposite results in front of the Ultimate judge, Havel will be welcomed home. Kim? Not so much, I am so glad to not be him, he has a lot of innocent blood to answer for.
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 4:50amVaclav Havel and Kim Jong Il
Report Post »In terms of the human lives one uplifted and the other crushed, they were truly forces for good and for evil. Every time a good man suceeds or an evil man dies, we want to believe that humanity as a whole has moved forward. Unfortunately, this is utterly false. Think about the darkness –or light associated with these two men…. In some ways we really do live in a Harry Potter world.
JQCitizen
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 1:44amSo President Obama is praising this man for exposing a repressive ideology?
Anyone want to join up in Washington en-mass to shake some keys in front of the White House?
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:13amThat is the best idea I have heard in awhile. Signs could read-GIVE US BACK OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS.
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 10:55pmGod is with Vaclav Havel and his family.
The Lord knows we need many more just like him….right here in America.
22 years ago when Havel led the Czechs, who would have ever guessed
our plight would be on the precipice …
possibly heading toward what they had already endured for 21 years,
since the 1968 Soviet invasion and take over.
Spoke to a Czech today who remembers
Soviet troops barged into their homes,
took anything and everything they wanted….food, jewelry…
and if they didn’t get it…
well…they used their guns.
Vaclav Havel, the world remembers you as a patriot,
Report Post »speaking and taking action for freedom from communist oppression.
Oh, how we need patriots like you, here in America, now…
Bonnieblue2A
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 2:21amThe world is lesser for the passing of this champion of freedom over Communism. RIP.
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 8:06amToo bad in this country, the reality of communism was so quickly forgotten, so lost to these ‘wanabee rebels’. Shake the keys in Congress. God bless this Czech and world hero.
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 10:13pmCheck out what Obama said about him…….Obama….the king of hipocrisy!!! But ya’ll are right…wish there were more leaders like Vaclav Havel!!
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 9:50pmWe need people like this man to speak to our WSC screwballs to let them know how they are trying to lead us into a government like the one that he had to stand up against. Of course, they would have to actually listen and not shout him down. Fools.
Report Post »singleparent
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 9:45pmI wish we had more people like him all over this world….
Report Post »Tankertony
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 9:33pmThis man knew the evils of progressive-marxism. What a valiant fighter for Truth and freedom.
Report Post »May he rest in peace.
SilentReader
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 9:00pmRest in peace Vaclav Havel. I‘m only sorry I didn’t know you personally. We need more men like you.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:17amMy thoughts exactly, peace to him and his family.
Report Post »