Václav Havel (1936-2011) was a Czech playwright, essayist, and political dissident who became a prominent figure in the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the first democratically elected president of Czechoslovakia. He was born into a wealthy family in Prague and studied at the Academy of Performing Arts before pursuing a career as a writer. Havel's plays, such as "The Garden Party" and "The Memorandum," were known for their satirical commentary on the oppressive communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
Havel was also an outspoken critic of the government and used his writing to advocate for human rights and political reform. He co-founded the Charter 77 movement, which called for the government to uphold basic human rights and freedoms. As a result of his activism, Havel was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by the communist authorities.
In 1989, as communism began to crumble in Eastern Europe, Havel emerged as a leader of the Velvet Revolution, which peacefully overthrew the communist government in Czechoslovakia. He then served as president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992 and later as president of the newly formed Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003.
