In Memoriam: Václav Havel

I wrote my master thesis in 2004 on the impact of Europeanization on the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993. During my research, it was hard to miss out on the historical significance of Václav Havel, poet and play-write, dissident and politician, and President of, first Czechoslovia, then the Czech Republic. (I think Havel is one of the very few people to have been state of head of two different countries, with the exception of instances in colonial and occupational empires.) 

As one of the initiators of Charta77, a petition for democracy which still continues to inspire dissident groups around the world, Havel became a dissident leader. When a 'velvet revolution' overthrew the Czech and Slovak Communist Party, Havel led the transformation towards a multiparty democracy. During his terms as president, Havel had to cope with internal strife and an rapidly dissolving opposition movement (Civic Forum), and even the dissolution of his own state. In 1992 Havel saw - with great regret - Czechoslovakia falling apart. However, the unity of the country was the price to play in a poker game between Václav Klaus (Czech conservative politician, current Czech president) and Vladimír Mečiar (Slowak nationalist leader). According to me, another factor leading to Czechoslovakia's disintegration, oddly enough, is Europe's integration (which Havel staunchly supported). The Czech economy, with a relative strong service sector, was better adapted for a quick integration into the European - then - Community; while Slovakia had much more restructuring to do in its heavy (military) industry, paying a much higher price to integrate into the European Community and the global economy. Ironically, bot successor states would both enter the European Union in 2004.


Although, Havel had its critique on the practice of integration, his ideas and his ideals had a firm European outlook, a European vision (contrary to the current Czech president). During his presidential term, EC accession negotiations began. Charta77 was part of wider European movement for a post-cold-war, democratic Europe. In his last years, Havel was devoted to fighting racism and xenophobia in Europe.