Comenius Multilateral Partneship Velvet Revolution 1989

During the second half of the 1980s, the general situation in Czechoslovakia became more easygoing, especially after Perestroika reforms in the then- Soviet Union. But the Czechoslovak leadership - still headed by Gustav Husak, who had assumed power after the Soviet Invasion of 1968 – didn´t want to "reform communism from within" and continued in a hard line in Czechoslovakia. But by 1988 there were organized demonstrations demanding change - and just about one month after the fall of the Berlin Wall, communism in Czechoslovakia fell too. 1980s

The six-week period between November 17 and December 29, 1989, also known as the "Velvet Revolution" brought about the bloodless overthrow of the Czechoslovak communist regime. 1989

It all started on November 17, fifty years to the day that Czech students held a demonstration to protest the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. On this anniversary, students in the capital city of Prague were again protesting against oppressive regime. The protest began as a legal to remember the death of Jan Opletal, but turned into a demonstration demanding democratic reforms. Riot police stopped the students halfway in their march. After a stand-off in which the students offered flowers to the riot police and showed no resistance, the police began hitting the young demonstrators with sticks. At least 167 people were injured. A number of workers' unions immediately joined the students' cause. 17. November 1989

From Saturday, November 18, until the general strike of November 27, mass demonstrations took place in Prague, Bratislava, and elsewhere - and public discussions instead of performances were held in Czechoslovakia' theaters. Video Video -1989

The Civic Forum, led by the then-dissident Vaclav Havel, demanded the resignation of the Communist government, the release of prisoners and investigations into the November 17 police action.

Massive demonstrations of almost 750,000 people at Letna Park in Prague on November 25 and 26, and the general strike on the 27th were devastating for the communist regime. Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec was forced to hold talks with the Civic Forum, which was led by Vaclav Havel. The Civic Forum presented a list of political demands and required to form a new government.

Alexander Dubcek - who had led Prague Spring movement in the 1960's - was elected Speaker of the Federal Assembly. The parliament elected the Civic Forum's leader, Vaclav Havel, President of Czechoslovakia. This was the end for the comunist rule. Government of freedom for Czechoslovakia

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