“I always called him Mr. President, but not because he expected it. He wanted to be considered as a normal citizen, with rights and duties: the citizen Vaclav Havel”.
Five years have already passed since his death, which took place on a cold Sunday in December, at his country home in Hrádeček, seven kilometers from Trutnov, in north-eastern Bohemia. Tracing back his memory is Sister Veritas, from the Order of St. Charles, a nurse and psychologist who looked after the former Czech president and hero of the Velvet Revolution during the last six months of his life. We met her in her monastery in Šporkova, a narrow alley in the neighborhood of Malá Strana in Prague.
“However, the first time I met him was on July 20, 2011, in Hrádeček, where I and two other two sisters were called to assist him. He got his doctor to promise him that he would not end up in a hospital or in a retirement home. He did not want either to receive any sophisticated form of care and above all, he did not want to be manipulated in any way. He wished to stay in a homely environment, surrounded by those whom he trusted. He was also extremely fond of his country house, which he actually considered his home. Perhaps, he was even influenced by the memories of his dissident years, when in Hrádeček he used to organize his clandestine meetings, the concerts and gatherings with other opponents to the regime”.
Sister Veritas was also with him on that fateful day on December 18, when she saw him “fading away like a candle”.
How come the Sisters of St. Charles were called in to assist him during the last months of his life?
He already knew our Hospital in Mala Strana because he had been hospitalized there a number of times during his dissident years, when he was detained at Ruzyne prison in Prague. Already at the time, he had built a sort of relationship with this hospital, which he knew had belonged to the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, even if during, the period of the regime, we were not there . Then, after the Revolution, his first wife Olga started collaborating there with our religious order with charitable activities. That’s why he immediately thought about us because we had assisted him at the time. Another important factor in the story was his friendship with Cardinal Dominik Duka, with whom the President had become friends since his years of custody in a Communist prison. He called him up one day and asked him to act as an intermediary.
Having worked close to him, what sort of person was Havel?
In that period he was already rather old and tried, but there was always a sparkle in his eyes, something very vivid and sharp. He was a true philosopher and you could tell even by the questions he used to ask, and the way he addressed you. But he was also a person with a strong sense of humor.
Generally speaking, I must say that he was greatly concerned about the well-being of those who were close to him and made everbody feel at ease. He also acted in the same manner with us and the men who were responsible for escorting him, who had been with him for many years. He also had a very personal way of exercising his authority which, I would say, was done almost with great pleasantness and gentle manners.
One aspect that struck me particularly, since the very first day I met him, was his great systematic nature, which he even apologized for. It was probably also the consequence of his illness and the recommendations of his doctors. When he woke up in the morning, his first concern was for his daily schedule, which was indeed very detailed. Despite this particular distinctive feature in his character, he was not a rigid person, but was always very pleasant despite his systematic ways. After all, he had been accustomed to facing life in a liberal way, without rigidities and with a great deal of tolerance.
How did he spend his time?
He spent most of his time doing ordinary, everyday things. He also went shopping in Trutnov with his escort, or went out for his usual walk in the woods. For dinner, he was particularly fond of simple dishes and really loved cooking. He enjoyed preparing dinner for his personal doctor, who came over every week to see him.
In the evenings, he used to listen to the news on television and was always well informed. As for his relationship with Italy, a few weeks before his death he was pleased at the news that the Monti government had been formed, a man whom he greatly esteemed.
However, he spent most of his time in his studio. He was aware that death was approaching and was thus keen to finish his memoirs, which is a further reason why he chose to spend the last period of his life in Hradecek, where he was able to find the right peace of mind to devote himself to that purpose.
What approach did he have with religion and spiritual life?
I believe he had a strong religious sense. He often discussed about faith and loved to talk about metaphysical types of subjects. He also had many close Catholic friends. I have already mentioned cardinal Domink Duka, but I may also add the Jesuit František Lízna and Vaclav Maly, as well as the auxiliary bishop of Prague, Monsignor Tomáš Halík. In the past, when President Havel used to organize his clandistine meetings, over half of the participants were members of the Christian world.
However, he did not convey the impression of being a practitioner or Church-goer
Perhaps not everyone knows it, but as a boy he received a Catholic upbringing, as well as all the sacraments. One day he told me that by the time he had become an adult – owing to the vicissitudes of life – he was not been able to form a real conviction of faith, and for that reason, he had given up receiving the sacraments. He did not want to be a hypocrite. Yet, in his speeches and writings, there are recurrent references to an absolute Horizon, someone to whom we are all accountable, even after death. I believe President Havel expressed his sense of religiosity and his perception of God in this manner and, it is towards this Entity that he had a deep sense of reverence. He valued the words of St. Augustine: “There are people who belong to the Church, but do not belong to God There are others who are not of the Church, but are of God”.
by Giovanni Usai