Vaclav Havel: Playwright and First President of the Czech Republic Dies

Vaclav Havel was a Czech playwright, dissident and politician. Born on October 5, 1936, in Prague, he wrote absurdist plays such as The Garden Party and The Memorandum.

He was a leading figure in Charter 77, the human rights movement against Communist rule, and was jailed for several years. He led the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and became the last president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 and the first president of the Czech Republic in 1993, serving until 2003.

He was a heavy smoker with lung problems. Havel died at his country house in Hradecek, Czech Republic, on December 18, 2011, at age 75.

Achievements: President of Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic (1989-2003), Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Birth: October 5, 1936 - Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Profession: Playwright and statesman.

Interesting Facts: He was a fan of Frank Zappa and the Velvet Underground.