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Czech Republic celebrates 20 year anniversary of Velvet Revolution
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Rebel playwright and President Vaclev Havel
College students in the Czech Republic are gathering today to retrace the steps of a march that took place on the 17th of November 1989, which changed the course of Czechoslovak history.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Velvet, or Gentle Revolution in the Czech Republic, which deserves notice throughout the world for the way in which the Czech people peacefully contributed to the overthrow communism from Eastern Europe.
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia came to power on February 25, 1948 with Soviet forces occupying the region. With the party came the secret police that suppressed any dissidents and critics of the party.
Czech citizens were under constant observation and forced to obey the party leadership or face severe prosecution. Even as Mikhail Gorbachev enacted his policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring), the Czech and Slovak people's were suppressed for any open demonstrations or criticisms against the communist party.
Much discontent due to the poor social and economic conditions within Czechoslovakia gave rise to ever increasing dissidence in the late 1980's. The Velvet Revolution began as a state sanctioned gathering, however several thousand students in the fervor of the moment broke off of the main assembly and attempted to march on Prague's Wenceslas Square.
On a nearby street the students were surrounded by riot police and severely beaten. The public outrage was immediate and there followed 12 days of angry demonstrations by hundreds of thousands of citizens.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, the protesters were further emboldened leading to Soviet support of regime change. However, with the domino effect of communist fall in Eastern Europe, the Soviets were surprised to find that by November 27th a Civic Forum had been held effectively removing the communists from power.
Shortly after the rebel playwright and human rights activist, commonly viewed as the leader of the revolution, Vaclav Havel was elected president of the newly formed republic. Open elections were held in 1991 to legitimize Havel's rule.
On January 1, 1993 Czechoslovakia dissolved into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this revolution is that there was virtually no deaths during the revolution. The people of Czechoslovakia peacefully protested against the Communist Party and built enough strength to push the party out of their country.
The world should take note of such history and see that war and fighting may not really be what is needed for a peoples to gain their independence, but rather resolve, determination, and the courage to stand-up for what they believe.
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