by Lubor Kunc

The article has been published in the Czechoslovak Specialist No. 6 / 2003 owned by

ceský obsah

Tento text se snaží popsat prezidentská období V. Havla pomocí filatelistického materiálu .

This year will be probably marked in history as year, when Václav Havel left his office because of finish of his second service period as President of the Czech Republic. I believe, that the personality should be described not only in political point of view, but also from our philatelic one. Don’t expect ”new discoveries” like Václav Havel is stamp collector, but thanks to his life in turbulent period of Czech history there is a lot of philatelic material having direct or indirect connection to him.

We can start with his family. He belongs to famous Prague businessman family. The Havel´s family owned e.g. Lucerna Palace on Wenceslas Sq. as well as Barrande Terrace in Prague (see a unused envelope of the Lucerna Palace from the 30s).

This property was after WWII nationalized by Czechoslovak communist regime as illustrates the envelope sent in the early 90s. The words ”statni podnik” means ”national undertaking” .Later in the 90s the Havels got the property back.

The last Presidential election in communist era was organized in 1985, when the communist President dr. Gustav Husák (being in function since 1975) was ”surpassingly” re-elected. This event can be illustrated by souvenir cover with special cancellation of presidential Praha 12 post office.

The radical change occurred after November 17, 1989 (see letter of the day franked with Opletal stamp issued few days ago to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of killing student Opletal by Nazis),

when police bot the student manifestation and outrage of the people was so big, that they started to demand changes on highest positions of state as well as end of communist government. The Communist Party tried to calm the situation by creating new government with few non-communist members, but public refused the small change and insisted on deconstruction of communist regime. Because the regime was weak and it can not expect any ”help” from Russia influenced by Gorbatchov´s Perestroika Reform (see Czechoslovak souv. sheet honoring the Gorbatchov-Bush Summit in 1988; this is a paradox issue: a communist stamp celebrating US Capitol!),

the Communists accepted the demand. On Nov. 19, 1989 Obcanské fórum (Citizen’s Forum) was founded as representative of non-communist public, among which founders we can find Václav Havel.

On Dec. 29, 1989 the Federal Parliament managed by Communists elected Havel for new non-communist President. He immediately accepted the function, but only as provisional President by first free elections in 1990. It is a paradox, which Havel as anti-Communist fighter was elected to President of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (CSSR). This can be documented by letter sent during Havel´s first period from Vienna (Austria) to Presidential Office in Prague. The non-postal arrival cancel of the presidential office shows yet the abbr. ”CSSR”, however the new official name of the state has been in the meantime changed to Czechoslovak Federal Republic (CSFR).

The first free election in Czechoslovakia from 1946 was organized in June 1990. The winning party was Obcanske forum (Citizen’s Forum). Because of the election result Václav Havel was re-elected for President on July 5, 1990 – see following souvenir cover. All the bodies elected in 1990 had the authorization for 2 years only, so Havel´s presidency should expire in 1992.

The second presidency period of Václav Havel as Czechoslovak President can be illustrated by a letter of Germany sent on the first day of second period of President Havel (July 5, 1990) to him via Czechoslovak Consulate in Germany. The consulate forwarded the letter to Presidential Office, which received it on Aug. 1, 1990 as shows the non-postal arrival cancel now showing correct abbr. of state name ”CSFR”.

The first anniversary of ”Velvet Revolution” was celebrated by visit of American President George Bush Sen. in Prague, where he had a speech on the Wenceslas Sq. . I personally participated in the meeting, but it was not possible to see both Presidents because of quantity of people being there. This visit was celebrated by special postal cancel used on letter franked by first Havel´s stamps issued in Jan. 1990 soon after his first election.

The change of country name to ”Czechoslovak Federal Republic” (however federal constitution was in force since 1968) illustrates movement in Slovakia asking more autonomy for Slovakia within Czechoslovakia. Soon the demand was changed to Slovak independence from Czechoslovakia. The Czechs were against division of the country, which was supported probably by majority of Slovak people. President Havel tried to organize a referendum deciding about future of the common state, he introduced this idea in a TV speech on Nov. 17, 1991. The referendum must be approved by Parliament, so Havel´s supporters printed cards with pre-printed text asking members of Parliament to vote for the referendum.

The Parliament managed by newly established parties born after fall of Obcanske forum refused the idea and the division of Czechoslovakia and establishing of Czech and Slovak Republics was agreed by national governments after elections in 1992, in which the nationalistic parties won, without any referendum. .

In 1992 the Federal Parliament tried to elect new President, because of expiration of Havel´s second period. Unfortunately, the members of Parliament had so different opinions, that no candidate has been elected and President Havel issued a demise letter on July 20, 1992,. This caused, that the country was during the splitting without the President. I lived in Austria at that moment, so I can not see all influences on that situation, but in my opinion is the country should have a President and the situation disillusioned me very much.

The new republics were created on Jan. 1, 1993. President of Slovak Republic was Mr. Kovac, the President of Czech Republic was elected first on Jan. 26, 1993 – see bellow letter sent on the day.

The function was again occupied by Václav Havel for next 5 years. In 1993 Czechoslovak stamps were valid on territory of both republics, so it was possible to create similar mixed frankings like shown on next picture – old stamps showing Havel as Czechoslovak mixed with new stamps showing Havel as Czech President.

Another interesting usage of Havel material is envelope with pre-printed Czechoslovak Havel´s stamp has been up-franked by Czechoslovak commemorative stamp as well as by Slovak commemorative (2 stamps no. 1!) and definitive stamps creating nice Czechoslovak-Slovak franking. In addition, the letter has been addressed to a Slovak member of Czechoslovak UNPROFOR troops in Macedonia (former Yugoslavia).

After 1 year of his Presidency of the Czech Republic Václav Havel organized a meeting of presidents of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and USA. Czech Postal Administration issued special postal card and cancel for the occasion.

The USA were represented on the meeting by President Clinton (see letter sent from his office and franked with a White House stamp).

In generally we can say that the Czech President has very close relation to all three US presidents he co-operates in period 1989 – 2003 with: G. Bush Senior, W. Clinton and G. Bush Junior. He had positive relation to statesmen of other countries as well : he closely co-operated with Polish, Slovak, Hungarian, Austrian and German heads of states, the Czech Republic was visited e.g. by members of British, Swedish and Spain Royal Families, the Pope, Dalaylama, worldwide leading philosophers, artists and managers. Some of the visits were accompanied by philatelic material as well (see a card celebrating the visit of British Royal Family members).

In 1996 Czech Republic asked for membership in the European Union (see Czech stamp of the year), which was heavily supported by President Havel.

The step started our preparation and negotiation with the international organization leading to the Copenhagen Summit of Dec. 2002, on which the Czech Republic was invited to join the EU. The entrance process to be finished in 2003 – 4 by new President Klaus, Havel´s participation in the process should expire with his leaving of presidential function, but didn’t. In June 2003 a referendum on EU entrance was organized – the Czech joining of the organization has been supported by ”old” President Havel acting as private person, the current President Klaus did not issue any statement in respect of the event, he only informed public, that he has voted the right way.

In 1996 Havel´s first wife Olga died and a year later he married Dagmar Veskrnova. Popular journal Mlada fronta-Dnes made a joke from its readers on April 1, 1998 informing about issuance of first stamps with President’s wife using design of at that time valid Havel´s stamp. Havel celebrated his 60^th birthday in 1996, which was commemorated by the Czech Postal Administration by souv. sheet used on a registered letter sent to Canada.

In 1998 Havel´s first Czech presidency period expired, but he has been re-elected for period 1998 – 2003 (on Jan. 20). Another milestone of Havel´s Presidency was 1999, when the Czech Republic joined the NATO organization (see stamp celebrating the event). In Nov. 2002 first meeting of NATO in a new member country occurred (see next stamp). This event was used to say good bye to President Havel. It was organized a celebration with participation of all heads of NATO countries, e.g. George Bush Jr., French President Chirac, British Prime Minister Blair etc. .

Havel´s last presidency period expired on Feb. 2, 2003. It can be illustrated by registered following letter. As you can see, there was no special stamp or cancel to the occasion , the one on the cover is normal postal cancel of Presidential Post Office at Prague Castle. As franking you can see all definitive stamps showing President Havel (1993-2002) being valid at the moment of his retiring.

He was first Czechoslovak / Czech President leaving his office in expected moment; all his predecessors left their offices by death, demise or by ”historical events” like Munich Treaty. It is important for us to see, that President can leave his function in expected time and I am personally pleased that it was not used similar procedure like in 1920, res. 1948, which incorporated into Czechoslovak Constitutions paragraphs removing the limitation of presidential periods for Masaryk and Benes Presidents.

It was not easy to find new President after Havel´s demise. There were totally three election rounds in Parliament of the Czech Republic. In first two (on Jan. 15 and on Jan 24, 2003) the members of Parliament didn’t elected any candidate, so on the day of Havel´s leaving of his office no new President was in function. First in the third round on Feb. 28, 2003 the new President Klaus was elected with important support of Communist Party expressing its support to him yet before the election and with help of social democratic members of Parliament voting against candidate nominated by their party. More information about existing material celebrating the office leaving of President Havel and elections of his successors you will find in following ”philatelic section” of the article.

President Havel was celebrated not only in the Czech Republic. On Feb 12, 2003 House of Representatives of US Congress issued ”Concurrent Resolution Honoring Václav Havel (H. Con. Res. 22)”. The originator of the resolution was Congressman Kind of Wisconsin (see official business envelope with signature of Mr. Kind instead of franking).

We can now go to the philatelic material relating to President Havel. There are stamps and souv. sheets, postal stationery, cancels, meter stamps as well as stamp booklets showing Havel. I have prepared list of such material, but without guarantee of its exhaustiveness .

In addition to the above official material there are known private products relating to the President Havel. Big quantity of such material was issues this year to ”celebrate” Havel´s leaving of office and elections of new president. Examples of the products you can see on next two illustrations. First of them shows an envelope celebrating second election round of new President on Jan. 24, 2003. Similar items were produced for the next rounds (Jan. 15 and Feb. 28, 2003) as well as for inauguration of new President Klaus (March 7, 2003).

Another example is an envelope issued to commemorate Havel´s last day in office (Feb, 2, 2003).

There are known postal envelopes without and with stamps, postal cards as well as souv. sheets, they exist in more colors. However all such items were produced privately, they were sold at the Postal Offices as ”ware in commission” . Unfortunately, the postal employees didn’t inform the buyers about non-postal origin of the material, so many people bought them as postal one. The philatelic value of such material is zero, it will be not listed in catalogs: in short think carefully over buying it.

As you can see, there is plenty Havel´s philatelic material. We could yet add some special cancels, meter stamps or foreign material (see a SCP special cover of 1990), but this would increase the article to the thickness of book, which is not my goal since I am no writer or dramatist .