Page 39 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague
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THE  HIST OR Y  OF  PR A GUE      37

           1989 The “Velvet Revolution”; growing civil
           discontent prompts demonstrations and strikes.
           Havel unites opposition groups to form Civic
           Forum. Temporary Government promises free
           elections; President Husák resigns and Václav
           Havel is sworn in by popular demand






 1968 Moderate                                      The coat of arms of the President
 Alexander Dubček                                   of the Czech Republic has the
 adopts the pro­                                    inscription “truth victorious”
 gramme of liberal   1990 First democratic elections for 60   and the arms for Bohemia (top
 reforms known as   years produce 99 per cent turnout, with   left, bottom right), Moravia (top
 “Prague Spring”. On   60 per cent of vote going to alliance of   right) and Silesia (bottom left)
 21 August, Warsaw   Civic Forum and People Against Violence
 Pact occupies
 Czechoslovakia and
 over 100 protesters
 are killed as troops   1993 The splitting of
 enter Prague   Czechoslovakia. Prague
                becomes capital of new
                Czech Republic          2015 Prague and Ostrava hold the 79th
                         2002 Prague suffers   Ice Hockey World Championships
                         its worst flooding in
                1999 Czech   150 years
                 Republic                2016 The UN agrees to officially
                joins NATO  2004 Czech Republic   rename the country Czechia
                            joins the EU
  1980            1995            2010            2025
  1980            1995            2010            2025
                                    2013 Miloš Zeman, a former prime
                                    minister, wins the Czech Republic’s
                                    first direct presidential election
           1989 Canonization of
           St Agnes of Bohemia     2012 Government corruption, spending
           (see pp94–5) takes place   cuts and tax rises lead to huge anti­
           on 4 November. Vatican   government protests in April
           commissions painting   2009 Czech Republic holds
           by dissident Prague­  presidency of the European Union
           born artist Gustav
           Makarius Tauc for the   2008 Václav Klaus sworn
           occasion. Czech legend   into second five­year
           that miraculous events   term as President
           will accompany her
           elevation to sainthood
           prove correct when the
           “Velvet Revolution”
           begins on 17 November
 1979 Playwright
 Václav Havel founds
 Committee for the
 Defence of the
 Unjustly Persecuted
 and is sent to prison


     1984 Jaroslav Seifert,
     signatory of Charter 77,
     wins Nobel Prize for
     Literature but cannot   2001 The biggest street protests
     collect prize in person
                        since the end of Communism force
                        Jiři Hodač to resign as director­
                        general of state television



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