Václav Havel

Czech statesman, playwright, and former dissident, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic (1936–2011)
Person human Q36233
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Václav Havel was born on October 5, 1936, in Prague [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and died on December 18, 2011, at Hrádeček [11][10][2][12][13][4][14][5][7][15][16][9][1]. He was the son of Václav M. Havel and Božena Vavrečková [17][17] and had a sibling named Ivan M. Havel [18]. His education included studies at Akademické gymnázium Štěpánská, the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Faculty of Theatre, and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague [19].

Havel worked as a writer, playwright, politician, director, poet, and film director [7], with a professional focus on theatre art, drama, opinion journalism, and politics [4]. His employment history included roles at Divadlo Na zábradlí from 1960 to 1968, City Theatres of Prague, Brewery Krakonoš as of 1974, and the University of Chemistry and Technology between 1951 and 1955 [19][20]. He held significant political positions as a spokesperson of Charter 77, President of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992, and President of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003 .

He received numerous awards, including the Charlemagne Prize, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Collar of the Order of the White Lion, Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1st class, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross [21][22][23][24]. Havel was married to Olga Havlová from 1964 to 1996 and to Dagmar Havlová from 1997 until his death in 2011 [25][26][27]. He is buried at Vinohrady Cemetery [28][29].

Václav Havel

Summary

Václav Havel is a human[1]. He was born in Prague[2]. He passed away in Hrádeček[3]. He worked as a writer[4], playwright[5], politician[6], director[7], and poet[8]. He ranks in the top 0.62% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,146 views/month, #6,155 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Born in Prague[2], Václav Havel…
  • Václav Havel passed away in Hrádeček[3].
  • Václav Havel is buried at Vinohrady Cemetery[10].
  • Václav Havel's father was Václav M. Havel[11].
  • Václav Havel's mother was Božena Vavrečková[12].
  • Among Václav Havel's spouses was Olga Havlová[13].
  • Václav Havel was married to Dagmar Havlová[14].
  • Václav Havel held citizenship in Czechoslovakia[15].
  • Václav Havel held citizenship in Czech Republic[16].
  • Czech was Václav Havel's native language[17].
  • Václav Havel worked as a writer[4].
  • Václav Havel worked as a playwright[5].
  • Václav Havel's professions included politician[6].
  • Václav Havel's professions included director[7].
  • Václav Havel worked as a poet[8].
  • Václav Havel's professions included film director[18].
  • Václav Havel's field of work was theatre art[19].
  • Václav Havel's field of work was drama[20].
  • Václav Havel's field of work was opinion journalism[21].
  • Václav Havel's field of work was politics[22].
  • Václav Havel held the position of President of Czechoslovakia[23].
  • Václav Havel held the position of President of the Czech Republic[24].
  • Václav Havel held the position of spokesperson of Charter 77[25].
  • Among Václav Havel's employers was Divadlo Na zábradlí[26].
  • Among Václav Havel's employers was City Theatres of Prague[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Václav Havel was born in Prague[2]. His father was Václav M. Havel[11]. His mother was Božena Vavrečková[12]. Czech was his native language[17].

Education

Educated at Czech Technical University in Prague[28], a public university[29], in Czech Republic[30], founded in 1707[31], headquartered in Prague[32]; Faculty of Theatre, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague[33], a drama school[34], in Czech Republic[35], founded in 1946[36]; and Akademické gymnázium Štěpánská[37], a Gymnasium[38], in Czech Republic[39], founded in 1996[40], headquartered in Prague[41].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include writer[4], playwright[5], politician[6], director[7], poet[8], and film director[18]. Fields of work include theatre art[19], a performing arts genre[42]; drama[20], a literary mode[43]; opinion journalism[21], a journalism genre[44]; and politics[22], an academic discipline[45]. Employers include Divadlo Na zábradlí[26], a theatre company[46], in Czech Republic[47], founded in 1958[48], headquartered in Prague[49]; City Theatres of Prague[27], a theatre company[50], in Czech Republic[51], founded in 1950[52], headquartered in Prague[53]; Brewery Krakonoš[54], a brewery[55], in Czech Republic[56], founded in 1582[57], headquartered in Trutnov[58]; University of Chemistry and Technology[59], a university[60], in Czech Republic[61], founded in 1952[62], headquartered in Prague[63]; Osvobozené divadlo[64]; and Divadlo U Nováků[65]. Positions held include President of Czechoslovakia[23], a position[66], in Czechoslovakia[67], founded in 1918[68]; President of the Czech Republic[24], a position[69], in Czech Republic[70], founded in 1993[71]; and spokesperson of Charter 77[25].

Recognition

Awards received include Charlemagne Prize[72], Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour[73], Collar of the Order of the White Lion[74], Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1st class[75], Presidential Medal of Freedom[76], and Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross‎[77].

Personal Life

Spouses include Olga Havlová[13], a politician[78], 1933–1996[79], of Czech Republic[80], awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1st class[81], specialised in dissent[82] and Dagmar Havlová[14], a stage actor[83], b. 1953[84], of Czech Republic[85], awarded the Order of the Smile[86]. Václav Havel's religion is recorded as lapsed Catholic[87]. He was affiliated with the Civic Forum[88].

Death and Burial

Václav Havel died in Hrádeček[3]. Burial took place at Vinohrady Cemetery[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Václav Havel include Václav Havel Airport Prague[89], Václav Havel Human Rights Prize[90], Václav Havel Prize[91], and Václav Havel Library[92].

Why It Matters

Václav Havel ranks in the top 0.62% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,146 views/month, #6,155 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[93] He is known by 44 alternative names across languages and contexts.[94]

Works attributed to him include The Power of the Powerless[95], a written work[96], founded in 1978[97]; The Memorandum[98], a literary work[99]; The Garden Party[100], a literary work[101]; Largo desolato[102], a literary work[103]; and Letters to Olga[104], a literary work[105], founded in 1983[106]. Entities named for him include Václav Havel Airport Prague[89], Václav Havel Human Rights Prize[90], Václav Havel Prize[91], and Václav Havel Library[92].

FAQs

Where was Václav Havel born?

Born in Prague[2], Václav Havel…

Where did Václav Havel die?

Václav Havel passed away in Hrádeček[3].

Who were Václav Havel's parents?

Václav Havel's father was Václav M. Havel[11]. Václav Havel's mother was Božena Vavrečková[12].

Who was Václav Havel married to?

Václav Havel's spouses include Olga Havlová[13] and Dagmar Havlová[14].

What did Václav Havel do for work?

Václav Havel worked as writer[4], playwright[5], politician[6], director[7], and poet[8].

Where did Václav Havel go to school?

Václav Havel was educated at Czech Technical University in Prague[28], Faculty of Theatre, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague[33], and Akademické gymnázium Štěpánská[37].

What awards did Václav Havel receive?

Honors received include Charlemagne Prize[72], Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour[73], Collar of the Order of the White Lion[74], and Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1st class[75].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . vaclavhavel-library.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  2. [3] . vaclavhavel-library.org. Retrieved . vaclavhavel-library.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
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  16. [20] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
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Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

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  9. [92] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [78] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [80] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [93] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [94] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Václav Havel. Retrieved April 18, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/vaclav-havel
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 19h ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-20 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Occupation writer, playwright, politician +9
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/32085|batch #32085]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (27)"
  2. 13d ago · Bargioni · 2026-05-07 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image unavailable reason
    Image last checked license
    Image needs reharvest
    Member of Civic Forum, Czech Helsinki Comitee, Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted +7
    + 2 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/30468|batch #30468]]: add P1810 to P5739 2/3"
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