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 German Rebirth In the spring of 1985, perestroika, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, began in the Soviet Union. On the 3rd of June, 1988, taking advantage of the weakening of the totalitarian state, some representatives of the intelligentsia founded Sajudis, a democratic reform movement, in Vilnius. The summer of that year was spent under the Sajudis flag, as the entire country was joining Sajudis support groups and holding peaceful meetings. The symbols of the independent country of the inter-war period were introduced publicly. The Constituent Congress of the organisation, held on 22nd-23rd October, defined the guidelines on the basis of which it was decided to move towards the restoration of an independent state. In March 1989 the representatives of the Sajudis won election to the Congress of People's Deputies, the Soviet Union's highest legislative body, and were able to fight for Lithuanian interests at the Kremlin in Moscow. At that time, Estonia was the furthest advanced along the path of legal emancipation: already in November 1988 it had adopted a declaration of sovereignty. Urged by the Sajudis, the Lithuanian communist legislature also issued a declaration, in May 1989, stating that the laws of Lithuania superseded those of the Soviet Union. An assembly of the People's Fronts of Latvia and Estonia and Sajudis of Lithuania took place during the same month, in Tallinn, which projected a common strategy and tactics for self-liberation from the Soviet occupation. On 23rd August 1989, the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact (Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact), approximately 2 million people from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia stood on the Vilnius-Tallinn road, holding hands. The unprecedented living chain measured nearly 600 km in length. This action for freedom became known as The Baltic Way.  People holding hands along the "Baltic Way," summer 1989. Photo by A. Varanka. In January 1991, the Soviet Army seized the Lithuanian Television, radio and other vital state institutions, which at that time were subordinate only to the laws of Lithuania. Unarmed, peaceful people offered resistance against the army, and 14 people perished in the effort. A referendum was held on the 9th of February, following the tragic January events, in which an absolute majority of the population of Lithuania came out for the restoration of an independent state. On the 11th of February, Iceland's Althing recognised Lithuania's independence de jure. After the unsuccessful August putsch in Moscow, Russia recognised the independence de jure of Lithuania on 6th September. Many other states followed suit immediately afterwards. On the 17th of September 1991, Lithuania became a full member of the United Nations. On the 31st of August 1992, the last Russian soldier left the territory of Lithuania. |
 Sajudis Meeting, summer 1988.
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