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School of Slavonic and East European Studies

Havel Collection


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0369 HAV

Held at: School of Slavonic and East European Studies

Title: Havel Collection

Date(s): 1985

Level of description: Collection (Fonds)

Extent: 1 box

Name of creator(s): Havel | Vaclav | b 1936 | Czech writer and statesman

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Vaclav Havel (1936-) was born in Prague and first published his writings in literary journals in 1955. In 1968 as a result of his campaigning for human rights Havel was identified by the Czech Government as a dissident. Resultingly in 1971 his works were officially banned and later Havel was forced to take work in a brewery. In 1977 Havel was a co-founder of Charter 77, a human rights movement. He was put under house arrest and in 1979 was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sedition. During this time his plays were becoming better known and performed in the West. In 1988 Havel assumed leadership of the Civic Forum opposition group and after the resignation of the Communist Government he was elected President of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in 1989.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Literary material relating to Vaclal Havel, including rough copies of letters from Karel Hubka to Havel, letter from Havel to Hubka, carbon copy of Havel's notes on his play "Largo Desolato" and copy of Hubka's literal translation of "Largo desolato" from which Tom Stoppard made his adaption, 1985

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: Czech and English

System of arrangement:

As described in Scope and Content above

Conditions governing access:

Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) Library, 16 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the riginal, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material hould be submitted to the Librarian.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Online catalogue available on the UCL Archives website.

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

No information available

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/libraries-and-study-spaces/ucl-school-slavonic-and-east-european-studies-library

Related material:

Publication note:

"Largo desolato" was first published as Havel, V "Largo desolato" (Munich, 1985), the English version was first published as Havel, V and Stoppard, T "Largo desolato: a play in seven scenes" (London, 1987)

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Compiled by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition 2000 and National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: May 2002


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
European literature | National literatures

Personal names
Havel | Vaclav | b 1936 | Czech writer and Statesman

Corporate names

Places