The triumph of the powerless

Thousands of his countrymen had written letters petitioning for his release, at a time when declaring solidarity with Czechoslovakia's most famous dissident was a clear and dangerous act of civil disobedience.

"We Czechs are finally finding our courage," he said, as if sensing the people's new readiness to confront the guardians of their communist police state. "Sooner or later, they will make a mistake, perhaps by beating up some people. Then 40,000 people will fill Wenceslas Square!"