In 1989, poet turned jailed dissident turned political hero Vaclav Havel saw the fruits of his years long fight for a freedom beyond communist rule in Czechoslovakia. He held the mostly ceremonial post of President just long enough to see his country torn in two. In 1992 the fifth estate’s Hana Gartner travels to Prague just as Havel’s creation crumbles -the Slovaks to the east wanted out. The once popular leader was driven from the stage in rallies in Slovakia and saw the Czech and Slovak Prime Ministers broker a backroom deal to divide the territory - The Velvet Revolution. The protesting playwright was also not long for the political stage in his homeland, his refusal to play partisan politics his undoing. He would go on, against some criticism to run for President in the new Czech republic, a post he would hold for ten years. the fifth estate is celebrating our 40th season and we are taking a look back at some of the people and places we have featured on the program. To celebrate our 40 years on the air, we’re doing something we’ve never done before : turn the cameras on ourselves. Join us on Secrets of the fifth estate. Tune in Thursday April 9th at 9 PM on CBC Television. For more on Secrets of the fifth estate : www.cbc.ca/fifth/fifthsecrets/ For more on the fifth estate : www.cbc.ca/fifth Follow us on Twitter : www.twitter.com/cbcfifth Like us on Facebook : www.facebook.com/thefifthestate

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