Long of ill health, Václav Havel remained the president of the heart of many Czechs.

His career is difficult to summarize in just a few words. Václav Havel was not the only moral or intellectual voice of the anti-communist dissident movement, but his eloquent writings and modest charisma became its most visible face. Texts such as "Power of the Powerless" inspired and continue to inspire protest movements throughout the world, offering hope to millions in the face of dictatorship.

He did not shy away from controversy, and was criticized by many for his support for the Iraq war and often uncritical admiration of the United States.

But even on his deathbed, he remained the Czech Republic's best known citizen abroad, better known around the world than any of his countrymen, including the current president and his successor, Vaclav Klaus. In fact, when Barack Obama came to visit the Czech Republic he met not only the current president Klaus, but also former president Havel.

As an intellectual, Havel was perhaps more popular among Western reporters than among the general Czech population. He counted Madeleine Albright, Lou Reed, Bill Clinton, the Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa and the Dalai Lama as his friends, but as a reminder of the passivity of most Czechs under communism, many of his countrymen felt uncomfortable with him.

Nevertheless, as news of his passing spread, thousands lined up outside the former Church of St. Anne (headquarters of one of Havel's non-profit organizations) to view his coffin, and in scenes reminiscent of 1989, thousands of mourners gathered on Wenceslaus Square with giant flags to commemorate the man who led their nation towards freedom and democracy.