Vaclav Havel, 1936-2011

Vaclav Havel was most comfortable penning plays, but he will forever be known as the man who led the overthrow of the Communist government in Czechoslovakia. He led the Velvet Revolution that ushered in a new era -- all without a single death despite the masses of people who protested in November 1989.

You will no doubt read or watch a ton of news stories about him, so I won't bother attempting to recount every detail of his life -- although, for the record, it went something like this: playwright, banned playwright, author of Charter 77, political leader, first post-Communist president of Czechoslovakia, first president of the Czech Republic. He died today at 75, in a nation that would be nowhere near what it is today without his bold efforts.

Update: This article from the Czech Position is worth the time -- for reaction, perspective, and a photo of the mass of people who gathered to light candles Sunday in Wenceslas Square. One local paper is apparently going to publish a 117-page special edition on Thursday.