Alexander Dubcek, Czechoslovakia (1921-1992)
Czechoslovakian statesman, born in Uhrovek, Slovak Republic. He joined the Communist Party in 1939, and fought as a Slovak patriot against the Nazis (1944-5). As first secretary of the communist party, he introduced a series of far-reaching economic and political reforms (called the Prague Spring), including abolition of censorship and increased freedom of speech. His liberalisation policy led to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Soviet forces (August 1968).
He became president of the Federal Assembly, for a few months in 1969, but was then expelled from the Presidium, and deprived of Party membership in 1970. In 1989, following the overthrow of the existing Communist government, he was elected chairman of the Czechoslovak parliament. He was awarded the Sakharov Peace Prize in 1989.