Olga Havlová
Encyclopedia
Olga Havlová, née Šplíchalová (11 June 1933 Prague
– 27 January 1996 Prague), was the first wife of Václav Havel
, the last president of Czechoslovakia and first president of the Czech Republic
.
Olga Šplíchalová was born in the poor district Žižkov
, Prague
. After completing primary school she worked in the factory of Tomáš Baťa
. From 1961 to 1969 she worked as an usher in the Theatre on the Balustrade
, where Václav Havel was also active. They had first met in 1956. She married Václav Havel in 1964. She later became an important source of support for her husband during his anticommunist fight to overthrow the socialist state.
Olga Havlová became active among the Czech dissidents after the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia. In April 1979 she co-founded the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted
with her husband; beginning in that year, when her husband was imprisoned in June, she also led the samizdat
Edice Expedice (Dispatch Series). In 1990 she founded The Committee of Good Will, which supports people with mental disabilities. She died of cancer in 1996. For "outstanding contributions for democracy and human rights", she was posthumously awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in 1997.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
– 27 January 1996 Prague), was the first wife of Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
, the last president of Czechoslovakia and first president of the Czech Republic
President of the Czech Republic
The President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs...
.
Olga Šplíchalová was born in the poor district Žižkov
Žižkov
Žižkov is a cadastral district of Prague, Czech Republic. Most of Žižkov lies in the municipal and administrative district of Prague 3, except for very small parts which are in Prague 8 and Prague 10. Prior to 1922, Žižkov was an independent city....
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. After completing primary school she worked in the factory of Tomáš Baťa
Tomáš Bata
Tomáš Baťa was a Czech entrepreneur, founder of Bata Shoes company, one of the world's biggest multinational retailers, manufacturers and distributors of footwear and accessories.-Career:...
. From 1961 to 1969 she worked as an usher in the Theatre on the Balustrade
Theatre on the Balustrade
The Theatre on the Balustrade is situated in Prague, Czech republic.The theatre was founded in 1958. Its founders - Helena Philipová, Ivan Vyskočil, Jiří Suchý and Vladimír Vodička named their professional theatre after a street leading from the square to the river...
, where Václav Havel was also active. They had first met in 1956. She married Václav Havel in 1964. She later became an important source of support for her husband during his anticommunist fight to overthrow the socialist state.
Olga Havlová became active among the Czech dissidents after the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia. In April 1979 she co-founded the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted
Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted
The Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted was a Czechoslovak dissident organization founded largely by Charter 77 signatories. VONS was founded on April 27, 1978.-Founding and Political Aims:...
with her husband; beginning in that year, when her husband was imprisoned in June, she also led the samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
Edice Expedice (Dispatch Series). In 1990 she founded The Committee of Good Will, which supports people with mental disabilities. She died of cancer in 1996. For "outstanding contributions for democracy and human rights", she was posthumously awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in 1997.