Last Updated: May 10, 2013
Vaclav Havel (Wikipedia) was a distinguished playwright, and one of the leaders of the Czech uprising (Coldwar.org) against the Russian takeover (Iron Curtain), for which he went to prison.
Havel became the first president of the new Czech Republic around the time Tim inscribed this copy of his most political book to him (annotations too). He was a big inspiration to Tim, like Russian dissenters Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Andrei Sakharov. Tim's strong identification with Havel is evidenced in this book--the inscription, the passages.
The Prague Spring 1968 (Wikipedia), a movement to take the country back (this was the first "Spring" in the political sense it is used today). The uprising was brutally put down, and its leaders jailed. The uprising had a major rock & roll component, especially the band Plastic People of the Universe (Wikipedia). Lou Reed, Frank Zappa, Mick Jagger, and others went to Prague to perform after the country became an independent republic.
The Prague Sprint of 1968 was also possibly fueled by LSD, as Spofa Pharmaceutical Works, in Prague, manufactured all the acid for Russian Intelligence and military at the time. (Spofa was to the Communist Bloc what Sandoz was to the the Western world.)
Havel was the Czech equivalent of, Arthur Miller (when he opposed McCarthy), in that he was a playwright with conscience. He continued to be among the leaders of the uprising against the regime, demonstrating that "the pen is mightier than the sword", then served more prison time, until The Velvet [bloodless] Revolution, c. 1989, (Wikipedia) coinciding with fall of the Berlin Wall (Rise and Fall of Berlin Wall).
Tim inscribed and made notes in this copy of Vaclav's book (right?)
It's a beautiful link--Vaclav and Tim. Two of the important figures of the second half of the 20th century (freedom fighters both).
We don't really know what Havel thought of Tim. Or whether Tim had second thoughts about sending or just didn't have the guy's address.
I have looked through all of the emails - but I'm a little confused.
How do YOU have a book that Tim GAVE TO this artist guy?
Long story. It was another one of those lost until it was found stories. It will be part of the post.
My hope is that this educates people to a side of Tim they might not have considered: his role of dissenter vs. state control. That's what he was really about: freedom from control. Question Authority, Think for Yourself is embedded in this archival piece.
It's true that it's him saying it, comparing himself to Havel. But it still will open eyes that maybe the comparison is fair, once one thinks about it. They were both "the most dangerous person" in their respective countries. Also, the text he underscores for Havel to read--seeing it with fresh eyes.
They both survived prison as political prisoners; Havel went on to become president of his country, Tim went on many other things, but remained an outsider.