November 17 – Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day

Students and Solidarity

November 17 is a national holiday in the Czech Republic commemorating two student-led protests against tyranny. The first, in 1939, was a demonstration against the German occupation that followed the killing of a Czech student by German troops.

Fifty years later, on the same date in 1989, Czech students once again protested tyranny—this time against the Communist regime—sparking the Velvet Revolution. The date’s current national holiday status is more closely associated with the 1989 events.

November 17, 1939

On this day, the dormitories of Prague’s Charles University were stormed by Nazi forces following student-led protests against the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. Nine students identified as ringleaders were executed without trial.

More than 1,000 others who participated in the protests were sent to concentration camps, and all Czech universities and colleges were closed for three years.

A detailed account of those events can be found here:

• The 17th of November: Remembering Jan Opletal, martyr of an occupied nation — Radio Prague International

November 17, 1989

Students in Czechoslovakia once again rose against oppression in 1989—this time against Communist rule. After decades of authoritarian control, the decline of the Eastern Bloc led to widespread unrest and demonstrations throughout Central and Eastern Europe. In Czechoslovakia, the November 1989 protests culminated in the fall of the Communist regime.

New political parties were formed and legalized, the Communist Party was stripped of its powers, and Václav Havel (1936–2011) was appointed president. Thousands of political prisoners were granted amnesty. These events became known as the Velvet Revolution.

For more information, see:

• 1989: the Velvet Revolution in context (or how ‘November’ began in ‘January’) — Radio Prague International

Freedom Week

For many Czechs, November 17 is simply a public holiday. However, those who wish to commemorate the day can attend various events in the week leading up to it, collectively known as Freedom Week. The largest celebrations take place on Prague’s Národní třída, a major site of the 1989 protests.

Freedom Week is organized by the non-profit group — Díky, Že Můžem (Thanks that we can). Their flagship event in Prague, Korzo Národní, offers a wide range of activities in both Czech and English.

Smaller Freedom Week events may also be found in other locations across the country.