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August 23, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of “The Baltic Way” where over 2 million people held hands across 3 countries spanning 419.7 miles (675.5 km). This event in 1989 directly lead to freedom for the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia which were illegally occupied for over 150 years.
How Long Was The Baltic Way Human Chain?
Let’s put this into perspective, 2 million people holding hands over nearly 420 miles across the three participating countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia would be the equivalent of a human chain that stretched across the following distances:
- Boston, MA to Washington D.C. (440 miles)
- Dallas, TX to Corpus Christi (via Austin and San Antonio) (411 miles)
- Paris, France to near Hanover, Germany (480 miles)
- London, UK to Edinburgh, UK (414 miles)
What Was The Baltic Way?
What was the Baltic Way? What were the conditions that drove so many millions of people to organize such a demonstration? It had to be important right? Or why even do it?
Well, the answer can be found in the political history of the Baltic nations and in the resilience and fortitude of their people! The Lithuanian people are an ancient and creative lot, as are their Baltic brothers and sisters to the north, Latvia and Estonia. I love the Baltic Way story as I do have “skin in the game,” as the saying goes, as I am of Lithuanian descent. This story is also my story.
In order to put the “Baltic Way” and the year 1989 into perspective let’s create a little timeline:
- 1253 – King Mindaugas crowned king of all Lithuania
- 1253 – The Kingdom of Lithuania reigned from 1253 until 1569
- 1569 – Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 until 1795
- 1710 – Riga occupied by Russia
- 1721 – Estonia ceded to Russia by Sweden
- 1795 – Russia occupies Lithuania until 1918 (123 years)
- 1918 – Lithuanian Independence until 1940 (22 years) [February 16th]
- 1918 – Latvian Independence [November 18th]
- 1918 – Estonian Independence [February 24th]
- 1940 – Soviet Union occupies Lithuania until 1941 (WWII)
- 1940 – Soviet Union occupies Latvia and Estonia
- 1941 – Germany occupies Lithuania until 1944 (WWII)
- 1944 – Lithuania occupied by Stalinist Russia until 1990 (46 years)
- 1988 – 300,000 Estonians demonstrate for independence
- 1988 – Mass protests in Latvia for independence
- 1988 – The Sąjūdis Movement started by Vytautas Landsbergis in Lithuania
- 1989 – “The Baltic Way” on August 23rd – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia
- 1990 – Lithuania deoccupies from Russia, becomes independent
- 1991 – Latvia declares its independence from Russia
- 1991 – Estonia declares its independence from Russia
Politics Behind The Baltic Way
As you can see, the historical timelines of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia (The Baltic Nations) are intricately tied to horrific acts of occupation that spanned well over 150 years. Both Russia and Germany in successive world wars parceled out these nations for their own gain.
In 1940 the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was the thinly-veiled excuse the German and Russian governments used to illegally annex the Baltic Nations as well as Poland and Finland.
By the 1980s the people had had enough! Mass demonstrations were being held, new forms of government sought, and the people themselves found an increasing need to stand up for their language and cultural traditions.
The world was thankfully a much different place in the 1980s with words like perestroika and glasnost floating about in our vocabulary. How ironic that those terms originated in the occupier’s language!
The Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian Peace Movements
Each Baltic country had its own independence movement: in Lithuania it was the Sąjūdis movement; in Latvia it was called Tautas Fronte; and in Estonia Rahvarinne. The impetus that propelled the Baltic Way human chain was the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1989 which was essentially why the demonstration was planned in the first place.
The genius of the Baltic Way was that it had to be so large, so visible, so Over-The-Top that the whole world would be forced to take notice. It also had to be peaceful.
The Baltic Way Human Chain 1989
The Baltic Way human chain connected the 3 capital cities of the Baltic Nations: Vilnius (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia), and Tallinn (Estonia). As mentioned prior, the span of these 3 cities reached 419.7 miles (675.5 km).
The chain was organized to stand connected at a specific time (19:00 hours on August 23rd, 1989) in each respective country while its participants held hands and sung their national songs, anthems, and waived their nation’s flags.
Even in the face of Soviet retaliation Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian citizens lined the streets from Tallinn in the north to Vilnius in the south and even saw many brave displays of support from their fellow countrymen and women. One brave pilot decided to drop flowers on the Baltic Way human chain in Lithuania, even against KGB orders.
People held hands as it became a true family affair! The important point to show the entire world was that the Baltic Nations were real people and not mere casual statistics. It was time for the world to learn about these beautiful, ancient Lithuanians, Latvians, and Estonians. This picture with the baby carriage is priceless!
3oth Anniversary Celebrations and Commemorations 2019
In 2019, commemorations of this event were held all throughout the Baltics. In Lithuania there were many celebrations including visits from current President Gitanas Nausėda as well as the recently outgoing, super popular President Dalia Grybauskaitė at various public events.
Lithuanian celebrations were not just confined to Lithuania. Communities of expat Lithuanians all across the world also got into the spirit, most notably in Chicago where the largest population of Lithuanians outside the home country now resides. Some even baked special cakes for the occasion (see below)!
One of the coolest features of the 2019 Baltic Way celebrations in Lithuanian happened in Vilnius with the construction of the world’s largest radio tower in Cathedral Square in Vilnius. It even broke a world record!
This gigantic radio “rig” consisted of 2,145 radios mounted atop a massive infrastructure paying homage to the fact that an event organizing and mobilizing over 2 million people back in 1989 was done so with the limited radio technology of the day. Pretty cool stuff you have to admit.
According to Lithuanian media outlet LRT it was a “19-metre-wide and 16-metre-high construction – almost the size of a 5-storey house” (source: LRT) That’s 62 feet wide by 54 feet tall! You can take a behind-the-scenes walk-through video tour of this radio behemoth with one of its architects, in the Lithuanian language of course.
Another magical moment for all Baltic Nations was a TRILINGUAL song written exclusively for the Baltic Way demonstration of August 23, 1988. This trilingual song is titled “The Baltic Nations
Are Waking Up” and was composed in three separate verses, the first in Latvian, the second in Lithuanian, and the third in Estonian. The video is below. The lyrics and translation are available if you are interested.
Below is a summative video of the Baltic Way, created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. It really is the best video to watch on the subject as it contains the most poignant archival footage of actual events as you would have seen them on that day. It’s like the perfect highlight reel!
What We Can Learn From The Baltic Way
All in all, the importance of the Baltic Way is that it was the driving force behind eventual freedom for the countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. By banding together in 1989 they created a pressure so immense against their collective occupying government that it could no longer be ignored.
By 1990 Lithuania was independent! By 1991 Latvia and Estonia followed suit! Today all 3 still remain proudly independent and forever thankful for each other’s support during this historic time.Valio!
#baltijoskelias #balticway #lithuania #lietuva
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