Man of Inspiration / Episode 3 / The Political Prisoner

In the introductory part of this lesson the students return to the trial of The Plastic People of the Universe. Next, the lesson is focused on the International Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975, held in Helsinki, Finland. That is where the Czechoslovak government signed the treaty pledging to uphold human rights which, in fact, were not respected in this country. Charter 77 was the resulting response of the opponents of the regime to the signing of the treaty. The students will learn about how the initial proclamation of Charter 77 was created, how the regime responded and how Charter 77 became a broad community of people who, eventually for more than twelve years, strived to advocate rights and freedoms in the totalitarian Czechoslovakia. Lesson three ends with the release of Vaclav Havel from prison in 1983.