Antonín Novotný

Antonín Novotný was a Czech politician who served as the leader of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1968. He was a prominent member of the Communist Party and played a significant role in the country's post-World War II politics. Under his leadership, Czechoslovakia experienced economic stability but also political repression. Novotný's rule faced increasing dissent, culminating in the Prague Spring of 1968, a period of political liberalization. He was eventually ousted from power later that year as reforms broadened, marking a pivotal moment in Czechoslovak history and the wider Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.