Page 45 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

THE HIST OR Y OF EST ONIA , LA T VIA AND LITHU ANIA 43

A chain of people joining hands to form the “Baltic Way” across the three Baltic States

themselves “liberators”, slowly reconquered “Baltic Way”, was formed across the three
most of the Baltic region during the autumn Baltic States to draw the world’s attention
of 1944, as they drove the Germans west- to their shared history of suffering.
wards. In anticipation of their return, many
locals fled to Sweden or Germany. Others Independence Returns
who stayed joined the partisans based in the Perestroika (reform) and glasnost (openness),
countryside. Known as the Forest Brothers, the two buzzwords of Mikhail Gorbachev’s
they were a very effective guerrilla force until regime (1985–91), had a dramatic effect in the
the mid-1950s, disrupting the Soviet Baltic region. Independence could be dis-
administration throughout the region. cussed openly and national flags reappeared.
All the links with the outside world were By 1990, independence for Estonia, Latvia
broken, including trading routes. and Lithuania could be predicted, but only in
Aware that it had only minimal popular the long term. However, its sudden arrival on
support, the Soviet govern ment knew that 21 August 1991, when an attempted coup in
the incorpora tion of the Baltic States could Moscow against Gorbachev failed, was unex-
only be achieved and main tained pected. During a 48-hour period of
with brute force. In each country, total uncertainty, the three Baltic
the Russian military occupied large States took the opportunity to declare
parts to which access was strictly indep en dence. Russia under Boris
controlled and all the paperwork Yeltsin did likewise, dissolving the
needed was only in Russian. The USSR. Suddenly, what had been
Russification policies followed by provincial backwaters became serious
the Tsars were enforced once again Soviet President European coun tries, with their own
in order to stamp out the national Mikhail Gorbachev airlines, currencies and embassies and,
identities of Estonia, Latvia and above all, recognition on a worldwide
Lithuania. They imposed such uniform ity that basis. In 2004, the three Baltic States joined
it became challenging for an outsider to the EU and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
distinguish one Baltic State from the other. Organization), and by 2015, all had adopted
In 1989, a human chain, referred to as the the EU’s common currency, the euro.

1994 Last Russian troops
leave the Baltic region 2002 Eurovision 2015
Song Contest held Lithuania
1991 Independence 2011 Estonia joins the
restored to the three in Tallinn; a year joins the Eurozone
Baltic countries later in Rīga Eurozone
1975 1985 1995 2005 2015
1980 Moscow 1989 Two million people hold 2014 Latvia
Olympics sailing hands from Tallinn to Vilnius in a 2004 Baltic States joins the
events held chain known as the “Baltic Way” join EU and NATO Eurozone
in Tallinn
Coin issued in 1999 to mark the tenth anniversary of the “Baltic Way”