Prague's Václav Havel Library on the brink of closure
05.06.2026, 13:28 Uhr
The renowned Václav Havel Library in Prague is facing closure following the withdrawal of several sponsors and a change in the stance of the widow of the former Czechoslovak and Czech president who gave the library its name.
Speaking to the CTK news agency on Friday, Václav Havel's widow, Dagmar Havlová said she no longer had the strength to continue supporting the project, despite always having believed in its objectives.
Havlová's withdrawal caps a period of escalating tensions within the institution. This culminated in the resignation last month of the entire staff in protest against the allegedly chaotic management style of Tomáš Sedláček, who has been director since March 2025.
Sedláček, a 49-year-old economist who won acclaim for his 2011 book "The Economics of Good and Evil," has refused to step down despite the departure of the staff.
Final rescue attempts
The remaining members of the library's supervisory and administrative board say they will still seek a solution to the crisis. This could prove difficult, as Havlová holds the rights to her late husband's name.
Modelled on US presidential libraries, the library was founded in 2004 while Havel was still alive. As well as housing a large archive, it also serves as a vibrant venue for political and social debates.
The playwright and civil rights activist Havel, who died in 2011, became the first freely elected president of what was then Czechoslovakia following the democratic transition of 1989.
Following the peaceful separation from Slovakia in 1993, he became the first president of the new Czech Republic and remained in office until February 2003. He is known for plays such as "The Garden Party" and an extensive body of essays.
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