biography
pronunciation:
[novotnee]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1904–75)
|
| biography:
| Czech politician and president (1957–68), born near Prague. A Communist from 1921, he was imprisoned by the Nazis (1941–5), and became first secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, and virtual dictator in 1953. A dedicated Stalinist, his state planning on the needs of heavy industry brought an economic recession (1961), and his unpopularity forced him to make token concessions from 1962 onwards. He was succeeded as first secretary by the reformist Slovak, Alexander Dubček (1968), and resigned the presidency two months later. |
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