Czechoslovak historical events

1. 16.1.1969 – Jan Palach burned himself on the Wenceslaw square to demonstrate that he
doesn´t agree with the system
Jan Palach was a twenty-one years old student of Charles University in Prague. After the
Soviet invasion in 1968 he burned himself on the Wenceslaw Square. He intended to show his
disagree withthe system. Hisfuneral turnedintoamajorprotestagainstthe occupation.He inspired
another student, Jan Zajíc, to do the same thing a month later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A26Z4MB1yJ8
17.11.1989 – The Velvet revolution
The Velvet revolution or Gentle revolution was a non-violent revolution against one-party
governement. Students and older dissidents protested against The Communist Party of
Czechoslovakia. On November 17, 1989 on International Students day police suppressed a student
demostrationinPrague.Thisactsparkeda serie of demonstrationsandthe numberof protestershas
grown from 200 000 to 500 000. Leadership of Communist Party resigned on November 24. Then on
December 10 president Gustav Husák appointed the first non-communist government since 1948
and thenresigned.VáclavHavel become the president of Czechoslovakia and in June 1990 was first
democratic elections since 1946.
Attribute of the Velvet revolution was jingling of keys to signify support. It symbolized the
unlocking of doors for democracy and goodbye for Communists.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-B7KsNQiew

2. 1.1.1993 - Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakiawascreatedin1918 and it lasteduntil 1January 1993. Afterthe II. World War
there was the federal state of Czechoslovakia. Main ideology was communism which did not have
much supportfromthe people.Theywantedachange sothere were a lotof demonstrationsandthis
era led to velvet revolution. After the velvet revolution the prime ministers decided to divide
Czechoslovakia in two separated states – Czech Republic and Slovakia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsENXk-LuKQ

3. 12.3.1999 – Czech Republic becomes member of NATO
On the 12th March 1999 Czech Republic together with Hungary and Poland entered NATO
and became one of the first countries from east block that have been accepted to NATO. It was all
arranged in the American city Independente, where the foreign ministers of mentioned states
conveyed the instruments of ratification to their American counterpart Madeline Albright. Czech
Republic became full-fledged member and it was able to meet their obligations to NATO from the
beginning. Czech Republic was and it is now against external rockets and bases on our territory.
Today itis 17 yearsof our membershipinNATO and we are part of collective defense that connects
western democratic states.
Video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?122737-1/nato-summit-50th-anniversary-event

4. 1.5.2004 – Czech republic becomes a member of the EU
May 1, 2004 was the day whenCzechrepublic become a member of European Union. Czech
republic requested for membership in EU on January 17, 1996. 8 years later president Václav Klaus
sighnedpactaboutmembershipinEU.77,3% of czech votersvotedforjoiningEuropean Union. Now
Czech republic has 21 parlamentarians in European parlament.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqXbHaNqMX8
1984- Jaroslav Seifert received Nobel Prize in Literature
Jaroslav Seifert was a famous Czechoslovak writer and mainly a poet. He´s one of the two
Czech people who have received the Nobel Prize. He won his Nobel Prize in Literature in 1984 and
that included him among many famous authors such as Hemingway, Churchill or Steinbeck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbxz4SEx3XA

5. 1998 - Czech hockey team won the Olympics games in Nagano
Hockey turney on 18. Olympics games was played between 7th and 22nd February in
Japanese Nagano. For the first time IIHF and NHL decided to stop the worlds biggest league
competition, so the league players can participate the Olympics turney.
Czechrepublicwasinthe group C withRussia,Finlandand Kazakhstan. Czech lost only once,
with Russia and went to play offs from second place. In quartel-final Czechs met USA and won 4:1.
Thenin semi-finalCzechbeatedCanadainseperate raids.Infinal was waiting a strong rival – Russia,
that beated us in the group and that hadn´t lost a single match until then. There weren´t any goals
for a long time until Petr Svoboda scored in middle of the third period. It was the only goal of the
match and Czechs won the gold medal on the Olympics games for the first time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkfKdnkvdmw