biography
pronunciation:
[yahkesh, meelosh]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1922– )
|
| biography:
| Czechoslovakian politician, born in České Chalupy, Czech Republic. Originally an electrical engineer, he joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (CCP) in 1945 and studied in Moscow (1955–8). He supported the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968) and later, as head of the CCP's central control commission, oversaw the purge of reformist personnel. He entered the CCP secretariat (1977) and the Politburo (1981), and replaced Husak as Party leader in 1987. He was forced to step down as CCP leader in November 1989, following a series of pro-democracy rallies. |
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