Jiří Dienstbier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jiří Dienstbier
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia | |
| In office 10 December 1989 – 2 July 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Jaromír Johanes |
| Succeeded by | Jozef Moravčík |
| Senator from Kladno | |
| In office 25 October 2008 – 8 January 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Ladislav Svoboda |
| Succeeded by | Jiří Dienstbier Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 April 1937 Kladno, Czechoslovakia |
| Died | 8 January 2011 (aged 73) Prague, Czech Republic |
| Political party | KSČ OF OH SD-LSNS ČSSD |
| Alma mater | Charles University in Prague |
Jiří Dienstbier (born April 20, 1937 – died January 8, 2011) was an important Czech politician and journalist. He was known for standing up for freedom during a time when his country was under communist rule. He later became the first non-Communist foreign minister of Czechoslovakia after the Velvet Revolution.
Contents
His Early Life and Fight for Freedom
Jiří Dienstbier was born in Kladno, a city in what was then Czechoslovakia. He became a respected journalist, traveling to many countries as a foreign correspondent. This meant he reported news from other parts of the world.
However, after the Prague Spring in 1968, things changed. The Prague Spring was a time when people in Czechoslovakia tried to make their country more free. But the Soviet Union and its allies invaded to stop these changes. Because Jiří Dienstbier supported these ideas of freedom, he was fired from his job as a journalist.
Working as a Janitor
For the next 20 years, it was hard for him to find work. He had to work as a janitor, which is someone who cleans buildings. Even though he couldn't be a journalist openly, he secretly helped bring back a newspaper called Lidové noviny. This newspaper had been stopped by the government.
Becoming a Foreign Minister
In 1989, communist rule in Czechoslovakia ended. This peaceful change was called the Velvet Revolution. After this, Jiří Dienstbier became the country's first foreign minister who was not a Communist in 40 years. He held this important job until 1992.
Calling for Troop Withdrawal
Soon after he became foreign minister, in December 1989, Dienstbier worked with the Minister of National Defence. They asked for all 75,000 Soviet troops to leave Czechoslovakia. These troops had been in the country since the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. Their efforts helped lead to the troops leaving.
Later Political Career
In 2008, Jiří Dienstbier was elected to the Czech Senate. This is like a part of the country's parliament. He represented the Kladno region, where he was born. He passed away on January 8, 2011, in Prague.
Recognized for His Work
Jiří Dienstbier received several important awards for his work and his fight for freedom.
World Press Freedom Hero
In 2000, the International Press Institute in Vienna named him one of its 50 World Press Freedom Heroes. This award honors journalists who have shown great courage in defending press freedom over the past 50 years.
Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award
In 2013, after his death, he was given the Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award. This award is given to people who have done a lot to improve relations between countries and promote peace. It was given by the Prague Society for International Cooperation and the Global Panel Foundation.
