Michael Kocáb
Michael Kocáb (born 28 July 1954) is a Czech composer, singer, and political activist. He is the leader of Pražský výběr, a popular music band suppressed by the Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1980s. In the spring of 1989, Kocáb, with Michal Horacek, founded the "Bridge" initiative; after founding of Civic Forum (CF) on November 19, 1989, he organized together with Horacek all negotiations of CF with the communist Prime Minister and his cabinet.
Also recorded as Michael Kocab
Michael Kocáb

Ben Skála, Benfoto · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Michael Kocáb
- Born
- 28 July 1954
- Birthplace
- Prague, Czechoslovakia
- Spouse
- Marsha Kocábová (1983–2010)
- Nationality
- Czech Republic · Czechoslovakia
- Occupation
- politician · singer · composer · songwriter · musician
- Fields
- pop music
- Honours
- Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross · Silver Medal of the President of the Senate · Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic 3rd Class
- Languages
- Czech
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Michael Kocáb (born 28 July 1954) is a Czech composer, singer, and political activist. He is the leader of Pražský výběr, a popular music band suppressed by the Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1980s. In the spring of 1989, Kocáb, with Michal Horacek, founded the "Bridge" initiative; after founding of Civic Forum (CF) on November 19, 1989, he organized together with Horacek all negotiations of CF with the communist Prime Minister and his cabinet.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Michael Kocáb (born 1954) is a Czech and Czechoslovak composer, musician and politician, among other activities. The composer was born in Prague. Michael Kocáb is a member of Czech Film and Television Academy and held the positions of Government Commissioner for Human Rights and member of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia, among others.
Genres include pop music. Languages used include Czech. The composer received Silver Medal of the President of the Senate.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Michael Kocáb. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3561497 · wikipedia · Michael Kocáb
In this article
Biography
Biography
On behalf of CF, Kocáb was also responsible for negotiations with representatives of the Czechoslovak army. Using his significant political influence, he managed with several people to put through Václav Havel as the sole candidate of CF for the duty of the president – as Havel spoke of this in February 1990 in his speech to the US Congress in 1990. From 1990 to 1992 he was a member of the Federal Assembly of the CSSR and the CFSR. In his first speeches during joint meetings of the House of Commons and the Chamber of Nations of the Federal Assembly, Kocáb repeatedly demanded an end to the Soviet occupation and declared the Treaty on the temporary stay of Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia invalid. Kocáb led a parliament commission which negotiated the repatriation of Soviet soldiers from Czechoslovakia. From 2009 to 2010 he held the position of Minister for Human Rights and National Minorities in the Government of the Czech Republic. During this time he brokered a controversial deal with the Squat Milada residents to move.
The recorded working language is Czech. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are pop music. Positions recorded include member of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia and Minister for Human Rights of the Czech Republic. Distinctions recorded are Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross, Silver Medal of the President of the Senate and Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic 3rd Class.

8. Pražské jazzové dny, 23. – 27. 5. 1979 pořádala Jazzová sekce Svazu hudebníků
Stanislav Jermář
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Michael Kocáb • Order — Minister for Human Rights and Minorities • Term Start — 23 January 2009 • Term End — 23 March 2010 • Prime Minister — Mirek Topolánek Jan Fischer • Predecessor — Džamila Stehlíková • Successor — Jiří Dienstbier Jr. (since 2014) • Born — 28 July 1954 • Birthplace — Prague, Czechoslovakia • Party — OF (1989–1991) • Other Party — Green Party • Spouse — Marsha Kocábová (1983–2010) • Children — Natálie Michael Jessica David • Partner — Lejla Abbasová (2009–2014)
Works
Works
• Illustration — Michael Kocáb performs with Pražský Výběr in Opava. He has composed music to more than 60 films: Feature film music: • Straka v hrsti – Juraj Herz (1983) • Sladké starosti – Juraj Herz (1984) • Prodavač humoru – Jiří Krejčík (1984) • Zastihla mne noc – Juraj Herz (1985) • Hledám dům holubí – Věra Plívová Šimková (1985) • Wolf's Hole – Věra Chytilová (1986) • Devět kruhů pekla – Milan Muchna (1987) • The Post Office Girl – Édouard Molinaro (1988) • King of Thieves – Ivan Fíla (2004) • Jan Hus (2015) Music to animated films: • Bumerang – Jan Dudešek (1981) • Paní Bída – Vlasta Pospíšilová (1983) • Krysař – Jiří Bárta (1985) • Romance z temnot – Jacques Drouin, Břetislav Pojar (1987) • Poslední lup – Jiří Barta (1987) • Ako orechová škrupinka plávala na Vianočný ostrov – Jan Dudešek • Ako vtáci na Vianoce spievali – Jan Dudešek Music to short films: • Odpady, které znamenají zisk (1979) • Husitské trojměstí (1979) • Oči modré, vlasy hnědé (1981) • Priehody brušné (1981) • Akvaráma (1981) • Normální kluk (Ivan Lendl) (1982) • Ruce – Setkání třetího druhu (1983) • Potopa (1983) • Mravenci chrání les (Václav Borovička) • UNC-060 (1983) • MS v lehké atletice – vytvořeno pro USA (1984) • Praha – hledání ve zlatém městě (Artcentrum) • Praha – neklidné srdce Evropy – Věra Chytilová • Jižní Čechy, aneb co Švejk neviděl (Artcentrum) • Mucholapky na motýly – Václav Borovička (1985) • Zuřivý reportér (Egon Erwin Kisch – copr. DEFA) (1985) • Portrait of Hope (znělka OSN) (1985) • Jediná generace – rež. Hoffmeister (1985) • Holzarchitektur – Sváťa Beneš (1985) • Ikony – Sváťa Beneš • Šťastný, šťastný swing – Milan Peer (1985) • Každý metr zeleně – Josef Císařovský (1986) • Kalkula – Miroslav Adamec (1986) • Our Water our Lives – pro OSN (1987) • Jost Burgi – Michal Havas (1988) Kocab has also been involved in musical compositions for a number of audiovisual projects and plays: Audiovisual projects: • EXPO 86 – český pavilón – Actorscop, Selektoráma, Rondovize (1986) • EXPO 86 – kanadský pavilón (Roundhouse) – Vivat Edisoni (1986) Laterna Magika: • Československo – kvadrofonní ticho (1982) • Odysseus (1986) • Jednoho dne v Praze Drama: • Ondina – L. Pistorius • Skřivánek – Jean Anouilh – Západočeské divadlo (1984) • Othello – Realistické divadlo (1987) Solo discography: • Povídali, že mu hráli, 1988 • Za kyslík, 2002 • Abstract, 2016 Book: • KOCÁB, Michael: Vabank. 1989–1991. Sametová revoluce. Odsun sovětských vojsk. (Velvet Revolution. Withdrawal of Soviet Army). Praha: Euromedia Group, 2019. 591 s. ISBN 978-80-7617-844-1
Business interests
Business interests
• Illustration — Tower of Montované stavby Praha, registered office of MSP, IPF TREND and IC TREND In April 1990, together with Oldřich Lichtenberg and Miloslav Zapletal, Kocáb founded a company called Art Production K, where he served as chairman of the board.[1] In May 1991 he became board member of newly privatized building company Montované stavby Praha (MSP).[2] In January 1992 MSP founded Investment privatization fund TREND (IPF TREND) and Kocáb became chairman of its board.[3] Another board Member was his brother-in-law Martin Kratochvíl. In January 1993, the companies Art Production K (27.5%), Bonton (27.5%), MSP (10%), and Bankovní dům SKALA (35%) founded a limited liability investment company IC TREND to manage the IPF TRENT portfolio for a fee.[4] In February 1995 the managers of IPF TREND founded a closely owned corporation IC TREND for the same purpose.[5] In August 1995 Kocáb, Kratochvíl and other owners of IC TREND sold the company to broker Královéhradecká brokerská společnost (KBS) for a substantial amount of money.[6] The new owners of IC TREND used the acquired company as a vehicle to strip dispersed shareholders of IPF TREND from its assets. After a first fraudulent transaction by KBS managers, used to cover the costs associated with purchase of IC TREND, Kocáb and Kratochvíl resigned from the board of IPF TREND.
Government work
Government work
During 2009-2010 Kocáb was Minister for Human Rights and National Minorities in the Government of the Czech Republic. During that time he brokered a deal to move the Squat Milada group, avoiding violence, from the dilapidated vila to Truhlářská 11 for one crown a month. The move was controversial and brought criticism.[7]
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Michael Kocab. His recorded language was Czech. He was the child of Alfréd Kocáb and Darja Kocábová. 2 children are recorded: Natálie Kocábová and Michael Kocáb ml.
Identity
Identity
Michael Kocáb is recorded with the occupation songwriter. Classed in the genre pop music. Recorded as having received Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross, Silver Medal of the President of the Senate and Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic 3rd Class.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1954
Michael Kocáb was born on 28 July 1954.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3561497: Michael Kocáb
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Michael Kocáb”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Commercial register at justice.cz, identification number (IČO) 00499471
- 2.Commercial register at justice.cz, identification number (IČO) 00171697
- 3.Commercial register at justice.cz, identification number (IČO) 452 45 177
- 4.Obchodní rejstřík na justice.cz, identification number (IČO) 48116459, registered as TRENDIS-investiční společnost, spol. s r.o.
- 5.Commercial register at justice.cz, identification number (IČO) 63078228, registered as TREND investiční společnost, a.s.
- 6.Václav Láska, Trend beztrestnosti končí?, Ekonom, 6 November 2006, http://ihned.cz/2-13601520-001000_d-e5
- 7.Alda, Kristina. Taking shelter. Prague Monitor. 19 August 2009.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Recorded positions include member of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia, Minister for Human Rights of the Czech Republic and Government Commissioner for Human Rights. He belonged to Czech Film and Television Academy. Kocáb received Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross, Silver Medal of the President of the Senate and Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic 3rd Class.
Career and activity
Recognition and collections
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,375 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Michael KaroliPerson
- Michael KatonPerson
- Michael KellyPerson
- Michael KiwanukaPerson
- Michael Krasznay-KrauszPerson
- Michael KugelPerson
- Michael KunzePerson
- Michael LandPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Michael Kocáb?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.