Events from the year 1989 in Czechoslovakia. The year was marked by the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...

, which started with student demonstrations on 17 November. It ended with the resignation of the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

and

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, the end of the dominance of the

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...

and the election of the

Václav Havel Václav Havel (; 5 October 193618 December 2011) was a Czech statesman, author, poet, playwright, and former dissident. Havel served as the last president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 until the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992 and then as ...

, the first President of free Czechoslovakia.

Incumbents

: **

Gustáv Husák Gustáv Husák (, , ; 10 January 1913 – 18 November 1991) was a Czechoslovak communist politician of Slovak origin, who served as the long-time First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1969 to 1987 and the president o ...

(until 10 December). **

(from 29 December). *

: **

Ladislav Adamec Ladislav Adamec (10 September 1926 – 14 April 2007) was a Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, communist politician. Early life Adamec was born in Moravia on 10 September 1926. Career Adamec joined the Presidiu ...

(until 7 December). **

Marián Čalfa Marián Čalfa (born 7 May 1946, in Trebišov) is a Slovak former politician, who served as prime minister of Czechoslovakia during and after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, as well as de facto acting President for 19 days. He was a key figure in ...

(from 7 December).

Events

*16 January – At a large demonstration to mark 20 years since the suicide of

Jan Palach Jan Palach (; 11 August 1948 – 19 January 1969) was a Czech student of history and political economics at Charles University in Prague. His self-immolation was a political protest against the end of the Prague Spring resulting from the 1968 in ...

, future president Václav Havel is arrested. *1 May – A demonstration against human rights violations during the

International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May, ...

celebrations is dispersed by police. *7 August – The 1989 Czechoslovak Open starts, running until 13 August. *17 November – The

commences. 140 people are injured when riot police attack a student demonstration. *19 November –

Civic Forum The Civic Forum (Czech: ''Občanské fórum'', OF) was a political movement in the Czech part of Czechoslovakia, established during the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The corresponding movement in Slovakia was called Public Against Violence ( Slovak: ...

is formed by opposition groups to the

Communist Party of Czechoslovakia The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (Czech and Slovak: ''Komunistická strana Československa'', KSČ) was a communist and Marxist–Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992. It was a member of the Cominte ...

. *28 November – Civic Forum is recognised as a legal organisation. *4 December – The members of the

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...

, except Romania, condemn the 1968

invasion of Czechoslovakia The Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia refers to the events of 20–21 August 1968, when the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Rep ...

. *10 December – President Gustáv Husák swears in a new cabinet, the first without a majority from the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia since the 1948 coup d'état, and then immediately resigns. *14 December – New foreign minister Jiri Dienstbier declares that the agreement for Soviet troops to be stationed in Czechoslovakia is invalid. *28 December –

Alexander Dubcek Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

is elected chairman of the Federal Assembly. *29 December – Václav Havel unanimously wins the

presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...

to become the first President of free Czechoslovakia.

Popular culture

Film

*'' Tainted Horseplay'', originally titled ''A Hoof Here, a Hoof There'' ( cs, Kopytem sem, kopytem tam), directed by

Věra Chytilová Věra Chytilová (2 February 1929 – 12 March 2014) was an avant-garde Czech film director and pioneer of Czech cinema. Banned by the Czechoslovak government in the 1960s, she is best known for her Czech New Wave film, ''Sedmikrásky'' ('' Dais ...

, is released. *''

I Love, You Love I Love, You Love may refer to: * I Love, You Love (1961 film), a documentary film * I Love, You Love (1989 film), a Czechoslovak film {{dab ...

'' ( sk, Ja milujem, ty miluješ) directed by

Dušan Hanák Dušan Hanák (April 27, 1938 in Bratislava) is a Slovak people, Slovak film director. Hanák graduated from the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts) in Pragu ...

, is released. Hanák won the

Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director (german: Silberner Bär/Bester Regie) is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury ...

at the

39th Berlin International Film Festival The 39th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 10 to 21 February 1989. The Golden Bear was awarded to American film ''Rain Man'' directed by Barry Levinson. The retrospective was dedicated to German film producer Erich Pommer ...

for the film.

Music

*The Pražák Quartet tours of the United States between 19 January and 19 March. *

Jiří Bělohlávek Jiří Bělohlávek, (; 24 February 1946 – 31 May 2017) was a Czech conductor. He was a leading interpreter of Czech classical music, and became chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 1990, a role he would serve on two occasio ...

leaves his role as principle conductor of the

Prague Symphony Orchestra The Prague Symphony Orchestra (Prague, Czech Republic, cs, Symfonický orchestr hlavního města Prahy ''FOK'') is a Czech orchestra based in Prague. The orchestra has traditionally been known by the acronym 'FOK', standing for 'Film-Opera-Koncert' ...

Births

*9 November – Jiří Kopal, municipal politician known for his work for veterans.

Deaths

*2 February –

Ondrej Nepela Ondrej Nepela (22 January 1951 – 2 February 1989) was a Slovak figure skater who represented Czechoslovakia. He was the 1972 Olympic champion, a three-time World champion (1971–73), and a five-time European champion (1969–73). Later in h ...

, winner of the singles gold medal in

figure skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics The figure skating events at the 1972 Winter Olympics were held at the Makomanai Skating Rink and the Mikaho Indoor Skating Rink. The results of both the men's and ladies' singles events were dominated by placements in the compulsory figures, ...

(born

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

). *21 March – Jarmila Jeřábková, dancer, choreographer and teacher (born

1912 Events January * January 1 – The Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China is established. * January 5 – The Prague Conference (6th All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) opens. * January 6 ...

). *21 December –

Ján Cikker Ján Cikker (29 July 1911 – 21 December 1989) was a Slovaks, Slovak composer, a leading exponent of modern Slovak European classical music, classical music. He was awarded the title ''National Artist'' in Slovakia, the Herder Prize (1966) and th ...

, composer (born

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{Year in Europe, 1989

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

1989 in Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

1980s in Czechoslovakia Years of the 20th century in Czechoslovakia