the end of January 1968 demonstrated the real impact of Alexander Dubček's election as First Secretary. Smrkovský was designated as chairman of the National Assembly in April 1968, and as a talented speaker became (together with Dubček) one of the most popular politicians of the era. He was in favour of democratic reforms, but remained a believer in the communist ideology, and continued to support the constitutionally guaranteed leading role of the communist party in the state. Soviet occupation "If someone thinks we are manoeuvred by the Soviets, they are badly off base," said Smrkovský in the summer of 1968. His assessment proved incorrect. The Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia took only one day. Smrkovský and the other leading proponents of the reform were deported to Moscow, where they were instructed to sign the so-called Moscow Protocol (as they finally did, with the exception of František Kriegel, who refused to sign). Upon his return, Smrkovský unsuccessfully tried to keep the Stalinist wing from taking control of the party. He was demoted at the request of Gustáv Husák, suspended from KSČ, and widely denounced. In 1971 he took part in the birthday celebration of Bohumil Hrabal. He died in 1974, and was buried under police control. The obituary letter sent by Dubček to Smrkovský's relatives was published in Italian daily Giorni – Vie Nuove and reprinted in Le Monde, or New York Herald Tribune. The public was not supposed to officially learn about Smrkovský's death. František Kriegel's funeral speech was forbidden, but 1,500 people came to honor the memory. The urn with the remains was subsequently stolen and found on a train in České Velenice. The survivors were not allowed to bury the urn in Prague. This did not happen until 1990, when the remains of Josef Smrkovský were buried at the Olšany Cemetery in Prague. References 1911 births 1974 deaths People from Nymburk District People from the Kingdom of Bohemia Members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Government ministers of Czechoslovakia Members of the Constituent National Assembly of Czechoslovakia Members of the National Assembly of Czechoslovakia (1948–1954) Members of the National Assembly of Czechoslovakia (1964–1968) Members of the Chamber of the People of Czechoslovakia (1969–1971) Czech communists Prague Spring Burials at Olšany Cemetery Czechoslovak Socialist Republic rehabilitations