On Monday 28 September 2026, Dagmar Havlová unveiled the Václav Havel Bench on Mariánské náměstí in Prague, in front of the main building of Městská knihovna v Praze. With this act she announced that the administration of the legacy of her late husband, Václav Havel, the first president after the fall of communism and a playwright, is being taken over by Městská knihovna v Praze, and at the same time launched the celebrations of what would have been his 90th birthday this year [1][2].*

Role of the National Library

According to findings by Hospodářské noviny, the National Library, which cooperates with Městská knihovna on large projects and has larger and technically more professional facilities, was originally also to cooperate on the administration of Václav Havel's legacy [1][2]. However, the cooperation was thwarted by a political condition: according to the newspaper's sources, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, the founder of the National Library, demanded that Minister Oto Klempíř be personally present at Monday's ceremony as a representative of the state [1]. A behind-the-scenes dispute over attendance culminated in an ultimatum, after which Dagmar Havlová refused the minister's presence, which also ended the National Library's participation [1]. The Ministry of Culture and the National Library did not respond to questions about the cooperation that did not take place, and Havlová also provided no statement [1].

Position of Městská knihovna

The spokesperson of Městská knihovna, Lenka Hanzlíková, did not comment on any direct negotiations with the National Library, but stressed that the institution has sufficient capacity for the new task and plans to approach the entire library community in the future [1]. Městská knihovna is to present the detailed programme connected with Havel's legacy on 24 November [1].

Previous developments

The change of administrator of Havel's intellectual property follows the breakup of the original Knihovna Václava Havel, which had operated since 2004. After internal disputes between its then leadership and Dagmar Havlová and sponsors, the former first lady withdrew the institution's licence, whereupon the organisation was renamed 1. prezidentská knihovna [1].

Related articles: Městská knihovna v Praze, Václav Havel

Chronology

  • — Dagmar Havlová announced that the Prague City Library is taking over the management of Václav Havel's legacy and unveiled the Václav Havel Bench on Mariánské náměstí, opening the celebrations of the 90th anniversary of his birth. Seznam Zprávy Hospodářské noviny

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Sources

  1. Seznam Zprávy — 29 September 2026
  2. Hospodářské noviny — 29 September 2026