Baltic Way
Part of the Singing Revolution, the Revolutions of 1989, and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union | |
Date | 23 August 1989 |
---|---|
Location | Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (three countries occupied by the Soviet Union) |
Also known as | Baltic Chain of Freedom |
Cause | 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact |
Participants | About 2 million people |
Outcome | Independence of the three countries was regained by August 1991 |
The Baltic Way (Lithuanian: Baltijos kelias; Latvian: Baltijas ceļš; Estonian: Balti kett) or Baltic Chain (also "Chain of Freedom"[1]) was a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on 23 August 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning 690 kilometres (430 mi) across the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which at the time were occupied and annexed by the USSR and had a combined population of approximately eight million.[2] The central government in Moscow considered the three Baltic countries constituent republics of the Soviet Union.
The demonstration originated in "
The 1989 event was organised by the Baltic pro-independence movements: Rahvarinne of Estonia, the Tautas fronte of Latvia, and Sąjūdis of Lithuania, to draw global attention by demonstrating a popular desire for independence and showcasing solidarity among the three nations. It has been described as an effective publicity campaign, and an emotionally captivating and visually stunning scene.[3][4]
The event presented an opportunity for the Baltic activists to publicise the Soviet rule and position the question of Baltic independence not only as a political matter, but also as a moral issue. The Soviet authorities responded to the event with intense rhetoric,[3] but failed to take any constructive actions that could bridge the widening gap between the Baltic republics and the rest of the Soviet Union. Seven months after the protest Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare independence.
After the
Background
Baltic stance
The Soviet Union denied the existence of the secret protocols to the
Such an interpretation of the Pact had major implications in the Baltic public policy. If Baltic diplomats could link the Pact and the occupation, they could claim that the Soviet rule in the republics had no legal basis and therefore all Soviet laws were
In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, tensions were rising between the Baltics and Moscow. Lithuanian Romualdas Ozolas initiated a collection of 2 million signatures demanding withdrawal of the Red Army from Lithuania.[11] The Communist Party of Lithuania was deliberating the possibility of splitting off from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.[12] On 8 August 1989, Estonians attempted to amend election laws to limit voting rights of new immigrants (mostly Russian workers).[13] This provoked mass strikes and protests of Russian workers. Moscow gained an opportunity to present the events as an "inter-ethnic conflict"[14] – it could then position itself as "peacemaker" restoring order in a troubled republic.[15]
The rising tensions in anticipation of the protest spurred hopes that Moscow would react by announcing constructive reforms to address the demands of the Baltic people.[16] At the same time fears grew of violent clampdown. Erich Honecker from East Germany and Nicolae Ceaușescu from Romania offered the Soviet Union military assistance in case it decided to use force and break up the demonstration.[17]
Soviet response
On 15 August 1989, in response to worker strikes in Estonia,
On 18 August, Pravda published an extensive interview with
Protest
Preparation
In the light of
The organisers mapped out the chain, designating specific locations to specific cities and towns to make sure that the chain would be uninterrupted. Free bus rides were provided for those who did not have other transportation.[29] Preparations spread across the country, energising the previously uninvolved rural population.[30] Some employers did not allow workers to take the day off from work (23 August fell on a Wednesday), while others sponsored the bus rides.[29] On the day of the event, special radio broadcasts helped to coordinate the effort.[27] Estonia declared a public holiday.[31]
The Baltic pro-independence movements issued a joint declaration to the world and European community in the name of the protest. The declaration condemned the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, calling it a criminal act, and urged declaration that the pact was "null and void from the moment of signing."[32] The declaration said that the question of the Baltics was a "problem of inalienable human rights" and accused the European community of "double standards" and turning a blind eye to the "last colonies of Hitler–Stalin era."[32] On the day of the protest, Pravda published an editorial titled "Only the Facts." It was a collection of quotes from pro-independence activists intended to show the unacceptable anti-Soviet nature of their work.[33]
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Diagram assigning each city and town a stretch of the road to cover
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People carried portable radios to coordinate the efforts and badges to show unity of the three states
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Traffic jam on the A2 highway
Human chain
The chain connected the three Baltic capitals –
In Moscow's
Measure[38] | Estonia | Latvia | Lithuania |
---|---|---|---|
Total population (1989) | 1.6M | 2.7M | 3.7M |
Indigenous population (1959) | 75% | 62% | 79% |
Indigenous population (1989) | 61% | 52%[39] | 80% |
Most estimates of the number of participants vary between one and two million. Reuters News reported the following day that about 700,000 Estonians and 1,000,000 Lithuanians joined the protests.[37] The Latvian Popular Front estimated an attendance of 400,000.[40] Prior to the event, the organisers expected an attendance of 1,500,000 out of the about 8,000,000 inhabitants of the three states.[36] Such expectations predicted 25–30% turnout among the native population.[30] According to the official Soviet numbers, provided by TASS, there were 300,000 participants in Estonia and nearly 500,000 in Lithuania.[36] To make the chain physically possible, an attendance of approximately 200,000 people was required in each state.[6] Video footage taken from airplanes and helicopters showed an almost continuous line of people across the countryside.[23]
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In Estonia
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In Latvia
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In Lithuania
Immediate aftermath
"Matters have gone far. There is a serious threat to the fate of the
Baltic peoples. People should know the abyss into which they are being pushed by their nationalistic leaders. Should they achieve their goals, the possible consequences could be catastrophic to these nations. A question could arise as to their very existence."
Declaration of the Central Committee on the situation in the Soviet Baltic republics, 26 August[41]
On 26 August 1989, a pronouncement from the Central Committee of the Communist Party was read during the opening 19 minutes of
President of the United States George H. W. Bush[47] and chancellor of West Germany Helmut Kohl urged peaceful reforms and criticised the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.[48] On 31 August, the Baltic activists issued a joint declaration to Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Secretary-General of the United Nations.[49] They claimed to be under threat of aggression and asked for an international commission to be sent to monitor the situation. On 19–20 September, the Central Committee of the Communist Party convened to discuss the nationality question – something Mikhail Gorbachev had been postponing since early 1988.[50] The plenum did not specifically address the situation in the Baltic states and reaffirmed old principles regarding the centralised Soviet Union and the dominant role of the Russian language.[51] It did promise some increase in autonomy, but was contradictory and failed to address the underlying reasons for the conflict.[52]
Evaluation
The human chain helped to publicise the Baltic cause around the world and symbolised solidarity among the Baltic peoples.[53] The positive image of the non-violent Singing Revolution spread among the western media.[54] The activists, including Vytautas Landsbergis, used the increased exposure to position the debate over Baltic independence as a moral, and not just political question: reclaiming independence would be restoration of historical justice and liquidation of Stalinism.[55][56] It was an emotional event, strengthening the determination to seek independence. The protest highlighted that the pro-independence movements, established just a year before, became more assertive and radical: they shifted from demanding greater freedom from Moscow to full independence.[23]
In December 1989, the
This protest was one of the earliest and longest unbroken
See also
- The Baltics Are Waking Up
- Hands Across America (1986)
- 71st anniversary of Ukrainian unification(1990)
- 228 Hand-in-Hand rally in Taiwan (2004)
- Catalan Way (2013)
- Hong Kong Way (2019)
Notes
- ISBN 978-0-7425-4068-2.
- ^ Aliide Naylor, The Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Front (2020).
- ^ ISBN 0-521-55537-X.
- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 619.
- ^ a b United Press International (12 August 1989). "Baltic Deal / Soviets Publish Secret Hitler Pact". The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ Reuters News.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 33.
- ^ a b Dejevsky, Mary (23 August 1989). "Baltic Groups Plan Mass Protest; Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia's Struggle for Independence". The Times.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 91.
- ^ Conradi, Peter (16 August 1989). "Lithuania's Communist Party Considers Split from Moscow". Reuters.
- ^ a b Fisher, Matthew (16 August 1989). "Moscow Condemns 'Hysteria' in Baltics". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Blitz, James (16 August 1989). "Moscow Voices Growing Concern Over Ethnic Conflict". Financial Times. p. 2.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 30.
- ISBN 0-7391-0027-0.
- ^ a b "Soviet party leaders accept Baltic demand". Houston Chronicle. Associated Press. 17 August 1989.
- ISBN 0-8133-1839-4.
- ^ Remnick, David (19 August 1989). "Kremlin Acknowledges Secret Pact on Baltics; Soviets Deny Republics Annexed Illegally". The Washington Post.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 66.
- ^ a b c Fein, Esther B. (24 August 1989). "Baltic Citizens Link Hands to Demand Independence". The New York Times.
- ^ Dobbs, Michael(24 August 1989). "Huge Protest 50 Years After Soviet Seizure". The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ Anušauskas 2005, p. 617.
- ^ Dobbs, Michael(24 August 1989). "Baltic States Link in Protest 'So Our Children Can Be Free'; 'Chain' Participants Decry Soviet Takeover". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Imse, Ann (27 August 1989). "Baltic Residents Make Bold New Push For Independence". Associated Press.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Alanen 2004, p. 100
- ^ a b Alanen 2004, p. 78
- ^ Reuters News.
- ^ a b "The Baltic Way" (PDF). Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian National Commissions for UNESCO. 17 August 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
- ^ a b c d Senn 1995, p. 67.
- ^ ""Tautas frontes muzeja ekspozīcijas "Atmoda – LTF – Neatkarība" mākslinieciskā risinājuma realizācija"" [“People's Front Museum expositions "Awakening – LTF – Independence" realization of an artistic solution”]. www.ltfmuz.lv. Archived from the original on 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- ^ "The Baltic Way". Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Imse, Ann (23 August 1989). "Baltic Residents Form Human Chain in Defiance of Soviet Rule". Associated Press.
- ^ Reuters News.
- Dobbs, Michael(27 August 1989). "Independence Fever Sets Up Confrontation". The Washington Post.
- ^ Mezs, Ilmars (1994). The Ethnic Aspects of Population Change in Latvia After Independence (Master's thesis). Western Michigan University. p. 11.
- ^ "Pravda chides Baltic activists". Tulsa World. Associated Press. 24 August 1989.
- ISBN 0-520-08228-1.
- ^ Fein, Esther B. (27 August 1989). "Moscow Condemns nationalist 'Virus' in 3 Baltic Lands". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Remnick, David (27 August 1989). "Kremlin Condemns Baltic Nationalists; Soviets Warn Separatism Risks 'Disaster'". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Senn 1995, p. 69.
- ^ Hines, Cragg (29 August 1989). "Bush Urges Restraint in Baltics Dealings". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 70.
- ^ Winfrey, Paul (25 September 1989). "Flaws in Soviet Plan to End Strife: Moscow's Attempt to Cope with Nationalist Turmoil". Financial Times.
- ]
- ISBN 0-8179-9302-9.
- ^ Katell, Andrew (22 August 1989). "Baltics Call Soviet Annexation a 'Crime,' Equate Hitler, Stalin". Associated Press.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 155.
- ^ Senn 1995, p. 78.
- ^ Rasmi, Adam (23 August 2019). "Hong Kong emulates a human chain that broke Soviet rule". MSN.
- ^ "Thirty-Five Documentary Properties Added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register". ArtDaily.org. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
- ^ "The Baltic Way – Human Chain Linking Three States in Their Drive for Freedom". UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
References
- Alanen, Ilkka (2004). Mapping the Rural Problem in the Baltic Countryside: Transition Processes in the Rural Areas of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Perspectives on Rural Policy and Planning. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0-7546-3434-5.
- Anušauskas, Arvydas; et al., eds. (2005). Lietuva, 1940–1990 (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: ISBN 9986-757-65-7.
- ISBN 978-9955-23-164-6.
- ISBN 0-312-12457-0.
External links
- Summary by the three countries' National Commissions for UNESCO
- Full-text of joint Baltic declaration to the world
- Footage of the Baltic Way with soundtrack of the Lithuanian independence song Pabudome ir kelkimės
- Documentary Baltijos kelias by the Lithuanian Television
- Photo album, a virtual gallery hosted by the Government of Lithuania
- Stamps of the Baltic States Mail Offices, commemorating the Baltic Way