In November 1989, Czechs and Slovaks took to the streets to demand political reforms in Czechoslovakia. This protest movement and the resulting collapse of the communist government became known as the Velvet or Gentle Revolution. The small number of American citizens who were in Czechoslovakia were witnesses to this pivotal moment in the country’s history.
A large part of the activism of the Velvet Revolution took place in universities. Many students took part in demonstrations or printed posters and news stories about the protests. Because some American academics and graduate students were studying in Czech universities under the Fulbright program, they got a first hand view of the demonstrations. For example, Michael Kurkal was a graduate student at Charles University. On October 28, 1989, he participated in an anti-government demonstration in Wenceslas Square. He filmed the event of police dressed in riot gear beating and arresting protesters.
Witness to the Revolution. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.
Meanwhile, an American Fulbright lecturer named James Grove was working in Palacký University. On November 17, he watched as the students went on strike in response to the suppression of the previous protest in Prague. Over four thousand protesters marched through the streets of Olomouc, carrying candles in remembrance of injured demonstrators. They continued their demonstrations over the next few days by printing and distributing eyewitness accounts of the events. On December 8, they got creative by building a wall of cardboard boxes outside government headquarters to symbolize the distance between the government and the outside world.
Declassified documents from the United States Department of State have revealed the experiences of the American embassy’s staff during the Velvet Revolution. Reporters such as Paula Butturini covered events such as the Wenceslas Square protest and reported them to American media outlets. She even described being beaten by police officers during the demonstration. Despite these violent incidents, the Revolution proceeded in an effective and relatively peaceful manner. The demonstrations ultimately culminated in a massive general strike at the end of November. This forced the Communist Party to negotiate with its opposition, which led to a transition government being formed and a new president being elected. Shirley Temple Black, who was a U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia at the time, summarized America’s surprise at the sudden success of the revolution with a statement quoted in People Magazine: “I knew there would be change someday. I’m astonished and thrilled and delighted that it happened so fast - and peacefully.”
Witness to the Revolution. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.
To learn more about the Velvet Revolution, visit the Czech Center Museum’s Witness to the Revolution exhibit, available until Saturday, December 21st.
Written By Maya Bouchebl
Sources:
Witness to the Revolution. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. 2024.