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Velvet Revolution, Prague November 17, 1989. At the 50th anniversary of closing of universities by German occupational forces and subsequent death of Jan Opletal, about 15 000 students commemorate this event. Soon after the demonstrating students were met by herds of police officers who brutally beat many of them. This chain of events contributed to the defeat of the Czechoslovak Communist Party and led to Vaclav Havel's innaguration. Havel was the first democratic president elected since the 1948 Communist takeover. On this photo the Communist party officials meet to discuss the changing political situation on November 26, 1989, First Secretary of the Communist Party, Milos Jakes congratulates Karel Urbanek, left, to take his post. (KEYSTONE/CTK/Karel Mevald)