President Clinton plays the sax in Prague

Jul 23, 2025

In a historic night in Prague, Bill Clinton and Vaclav Havel bonded over jazz, bridging East and West. The duo surprised the audience with an impromptu performance at a famous club, symbolizing a new transatlantic alliance. The podcast also delves into Havel's remarkable journey from imprisoned playwright to president. Personal stories intertwine with the music, capturing the spirit of a post-communist cultural renaissance. Archive audio enhances the emotional depth of diplomatic connections, reflecting a pivotal moment in history.

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ANECDOTE

Historic Prague Bridge Walk

Bill Clinton and Václav Havel shared a historic night crossing Charles Bridge amidst heavy security.
Their friendship symbolized hopes for a new East-West transatlantic partnership after the Cold War.

INSIGHT

NATO Enlargement Vision

Clinton's vision centered on integrating Eastern Europe into NATO to secure peace.
Partnership for Peace was a stepping stone toward full NATO membership for new democracies.

ANECDOTE

Havel: From Prisoner to President

Havel was a dissident playwright imprisoned by communists, gaining "street credibility".
He became Czech Republic's first president after leading democracy from the shadows.

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In January 1994, two presidents enjoyed a memorable night in the Czech Republic – ending with an impromptu jazz performance.

Five years after the fall of communism, the US president Bill Clinton visited Prague to share his hopes for a new transatlantic alliance.

Key to his vision was his friendship with the Czech president Vaclav Havel, a playwright who had been imprisoned for dissidence during the Cold War.

During the visit, Havel arranged a series of surprises for Clinton including a reunion with the family he had stayed with on a visit to Prague in 1970.

The final surprise took place at the city’s famous Reduta jazz club. Havel presented Clinton with a saxophone and the two friends performed together on stage – a moment which came to symbolise the new partnership between East and West.

Vicky Farncombe uses archive from the Vaclav Havel Center and the William J Clinton Presidential Library to relive the big night out.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Presidents perform at the Reduta jazz club. Credit: Office of the President of the Czech Republic)