Olga Havlová died 24 years ago: Visit her final resting place and light a candle in her memory today
Her legacy lives on. Those who knew Olga Havlová, the first lady of the Czechoslovak and later the first Czech president Václav Havel, remember her fondly. She helped so many people that even almost a quarter of a century after her death, her loved ones haven't forgotten her and continue to meet on the day of her death at her final resting place.
Olga tirelessly pursued charity activities. She founded the Committee of Good Will, which was one of the first projects of its kind in Czechoslovakia. Thanks to her and the Committee, and subsequently the Olga Havlová Foundation, people with disabilities could finally feel "normal".
The disabled are people too
She dragged them ito the light and taught the xenophobic society that everyone has the right to a dignified life and happiness. Thanks to her, the disabled ceased to be a "taboo subject".
"I don't appreciate people saying this person is normal, that person is abnormal. I act according to what I think. Everyone should be doing what they have the strength for. What they can do well,"
was one of Olga Havel's quotes.
A candle for Olga
She died on January 27, 1996. The death of Olga Havlová hit the whole nation. People queued in an endless line to pay their respects, lay flowers at her remains in the chapel in the southern wing of Prague Castle and sign the condolence sheets.
Her life was inseparably connected with theatre, which is why she had a lot of friends among famous actors, just like her husband Václav Havel. One of her admirers was Eva Holubová:
"She never succumbed to the arrogance of power, nor was she full of herself as the first lady. She acted with dignity and self-confidence, but not pretentiously. She never rubbed her courage and fearless attitude, which she showed already before 1989, in mine or anyone else's face, as far as I could see. She explained her views firmly and scrupulously, but left it to the other person to arrive at their own conclusion. ”
You can honor the memory of this "great" woman and light a candle today on January 24 at 3:30 pm, together with the Committee of Good Will - Olga Havlová Foundation at Vinohrady Cemetery right next to the tomb of the Havel family.
Dana Němcová, a signatory of Charter 77 and co-founder of VONS, Milena Černá, chairman of the board of the Committee of Good Will - Olga Havel Foundation, and parish priest Miroslav Erdinger will speak to the participants of the ceremony. The Besharmonie Choir will contribute to the commemoration of the monument.
