Gustav Husak Biography

Birth of Gustav Husak

Appointed First Secretary of Slovak Communist Party

Appointed President of Czechoslovakia

Appointed Prime Minister of Czech Rep

Forms a Government after Warsaw Pact occupation

Leader of Communist Party of Czechoslovakia

Replaces Dubcek and begins Normalisation.

Appointed President of Czechoslovakia.

The Czechoslovak Communist leadership verbally support Perestroika, but did little to institute real changes, and speaking of the Prague Spring of 1968 is still a taboo

Announces similar reforms to those by Gorbachev in Russia

The first anti-Governmental demonstrations

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall falls and the citizens of Czechoslovakia can see the events every day on TV (both foreign and domestic)

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Slovak high school and university students stage a peaceful demonstration

On the eve of International Students Day, 50th anniversary of death of Jan Opletal murdered by Nazi occupiers during World War II, Slovak students demonstrate

A peaceful student demonstration is severely beaten back by riot police

Beginning of the Velvet Revolution in Czech

The Socialist Union of Youth (SSM/SZM, proxy of Communist Party of Czechoslovakia) organize a mass demonstration to commemorate International Students Day

a peaceful student demonstration is severely beaten back by riot police. A peaceful student demonstration in Prague is severely beaten back by the riot police

At the initiative of students from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the students in Prague began a strike, the strike is joined by university students throughout Czechoslovakia

The number of participants in the regular anti-Governmental demonstration in Prague reach 800,000 people

The editorial staff of Slovakias Pravda, the central newspaper of the Communist Party of Slovakia, join the opposition

The editorial staff of Slovakias Pravda, the central newspaper of the Communist Party of Slovakia, join the opposition

A general two-hour strike of the population

A general two-hour strike of the population

The Communist Party of Czech announces it will give up its monopoly of power

The Presidium of the Slovak Parliament (Slovak National Council) resigns, it is gradually replaced by non-Communists. The Communist Party of Czech announces it will give up its monopoly of power

Parliament, still dominated by the Communists, removes the article guaranteeing a leadership role to the Communist Party and Marxism as a state ideology from the Constitution

Parliament, still dominated by the Communists, removes the article guaranteeing a leadership role to the Communist Party and Marxism as a state ideology from the Constitution

Parliament, still dominated by the Communists, removes the article guaranteeing a leadership role to the Communist Party and Marxism as a state ideology from the Constitution

The federal Government decides barbed wire should be removed at the border with Austria (later also at the border with West Germany), and that Czechoslovak citizens do not need "exit visa permits". Czech citizens do not need "exit visa permits" anymore when travelling abroad

Barbed wire is removed from the border with West Germany and Austria. Barbed wire is removed from borders with West Germany. Barbed wire at the border with Austria is removed

President Gust v Hus k nominates a new federal cabinet, headed by Ladislav Adamec. Husak nominates a new federal cabinet, headed by Ladislav Adamec

The Government announces freedom to travel to Austria

Most members of the Government of Czechia were replaced by non-Communists

Most members of the Government of Czechia are replaced by non-Communists

Most members of the Government of Czechia were replaced by non-Communists

Husak declares an amnesty on political crimes

Husak nominates a federal cabinet, headed by Calfa. Forms the first non-communist Government in Czech since 1948

Husak resigns

Resigns after appointing a largely non-communist government.

The Communist President Gust v Hus k appoints the first largely non-communist Government in Czechoslovakia since 1948, and resigns

The Communist President Gust v Hus k appoints the first largely non-communist Government in Czechoslovakia since 1948, and resigns

Peoples Militia is abolished, & their weapons confiscated by the army

Bloodless revolution in Czech that sees the overthrow of the communist Government

Bloodless revolution in Czech that sees the overthrow of the communist Government

Barbed wire is removed from the border with West Germany and Austria