The Baltic Way: the longest unbroken human chain in history
On August 23, 1989, at 7:00 p.m., approximately two million people from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined hands to form a human chain that stretched 675 kilometers (or 420 miles) from Tallinn through Riga to Vilnius. It was both one of the first and longest continuous human chains in history and a peaceful protest against the illegal Soviet occupation.
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which was signed 50 years earlier on August 23, 1939, between the foreign ministers of the Soviet Union and Germany, Vyacheslav Molotov and Joachim von Ribbentrop, is the subject of the Baltic Way, also known as the Baltic Chain.
In violation of international law, the two totalitarian powers divided Poland, Romania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into separate spheres of influence in the covert protocols that came along with the treaty of non-aggression. This caused Nazi Germany to attack Poland on September 1, 1939, sparking the Second World War. On June 16, 1940, the Soviet Union invaded Estonia and Latvia.
Delighted with joy
On August 23, 1989, Anne-Marie Riitsaar experienced a range of emotions, including excitement, fear, and confusion. Being the daughter of an Estonian father and a Russian mother, Anne-Marie experienced bullying in school and was warned that all Russians would be expelled if Estonia ever gained independence. something that, at the time, she didn’t understand.
She was therefore puzzled as to why her parents chose to participate in the Baltic Way. Was her mother requesting to go to Russia? The mother responded to her inquiry while driving an old Lada on the way to join the human chain.
She stated that everyone has control over their own destiny in an independent state. If you put in the necessary effort in your studies and work, you will be able to pick the university and employer for the job you want. You’ll be able to explore the globe, pick up new languages, and discover various cultures. Your ability to speak two languages will no longer be a barrier but rather a tool for making friends.
But at the age of eight, Anne-focus Marie was diverted by something else. “My mother cleverly added, “In an independent state, you can go to a store and buy as many bananas as your soul desires! ” when she saw my confused look out the back window. ’”
“By the time we reached the highway, it was crowded with couples. The demonstrators began throwing candy at us through the car windows when we slowed down, Anne-Marie recalled. “Regardless of one’s nationality, everyone was filled with joy, smiling, singing, and giving each other hugs. This joyous outburst was infectious! ”
Inspiring empathy and tolerance today
The Vabamu Museum in Tallinn organized an exhibition in 2019 that featured Anne-recollection Marie’s of the Baltic Way and used the memories of common people who participated in the 675-kilometer-long human chain that stretched from Tallinn to Vilnius.
The popular front parties from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania organized The Baltic Way over the course of six weeks; it was the first non-communist political movement since the Soviet Union annexed the three states. To ensure that the chain would not be broken, the organizers mapped out the chain and assigned specific locations to specific cities, towns, and villages.
In 1989, walkie-talkies were used by the organizers because there were no mobile phones in the Baltic states. Special radio broadcasts were used to time the demonstration precisely, and participants carried portable radios with them to stay informed and hear speeches from politicians and activists from the popular front.
Nobody was certain of its success. However, at 7 o’clock in the evening, two million people formed a human chain that stretched for 15 minutes from Toompea in Tallinn to the foot of the Gediminas Tower in Vilnius, passing through Riga and the River Daugava.
Anne-Marie explained her decision to donate her memory to the museum in an email interview with Estonian World, stating that she felt “very fortunate” to have lived through such “challenging and interesting times.”
“I was raised in the Republic of Estonia, but I was born in the Soviet Union, so I now enjoy the benefits of being a citizen of the European Union,” she said. “All of this is due to the tenacity of my compatriots who never gave up on the idea of establishing an independent country. I’m honored to have been able to take part in the Baltic Way and add to my nation’s remarkable history.
But Anne-Marie continued, “Another reason is that Estonia needs more empathy and tolerance.” “The Baltic Way was an expression of love for one’s home country and a demonstration of peoples’ extraordinary spirit, though our main message at the time was one of our freedom. Where there is a will, there is a way, and I believe that as a country we will be able to show our will once more and clear the path to happiness.
The Soviets were forced to acknowledge the secret protocols
Things have progressed significantly, according to a communist party statement released on August 26th, 1989 in Moscow. The fate of the Baltic peoples is under serious threat. People need to be aware of the pit their nationalistic leaders are leading them into. If they succeed in achieving their objectives, it could have disastrous effects on these countries. Their very existence could be questioned.
The public and pro-independence activists in the Baltic states were worried that Moscow would use force to stifle the national movements, as it had done in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.
ABC News (US) made the Baltic Way their top news story on 23 August 1989.
The Baltic activists sent a joint declaration to the UN Secretary-General on August 31 which they claimed to be the target of aggression and requested the dispatch of an international commission to keep an eye on the situation. George H. W. Bush, the president of the United States, and Helmut Kohl, the chancellor of West Germany, urged the Soviet Union to exercise restraint and pursue peaceful reforms.
After four years of the so-called perestroika, the Soviet authorities eventually softened their rhetoric and abandoned all of their threats in the face of an international scandal. The secret protocols to the pact were also finally acknowledged by the Soviet Union, and on December 24, 1989, the Congress of People’s Deputies of the Soviet Union declared them to be illegal and void.
Peaceful protest can create change
Keiu Telve added one more effect of the Baltic Way to his list. People also claim that it contributed to the Berlin Wall’s initial breaks, as well as earlier events in Poland and the Czech Republic, but on a global scale, this event was significant. We cannot close our eyes to the east because they are there and ready to regain their independence. It demonstrated that the system in the Eastern Bloc, the collection of communist states in Central and Eastern Europe that were ruled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, could collapse.
Since the Baltic Way, it has become a prime example of how nonviolent protest can effect change. The human chain served as a visual representation of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian unity and promoted the Baltic cause throughout the world. The nonviolent Singing Revolution gained a favorable reputation in Western media.
The national movements took advantage of the increased visibility to frame the debate over Baltic independence as a moral rather than merely a political issue: regaining independence would mean restoring historical justice and putting an end to Stalinism. The 1988-founded pro-independence movements grew bolder and more radical; they moved from calling for more freedom from Moscow to demanding complete independence, which was finally attained on August 20, 1991.
Telve emphasized the significance of keeping the 1989 events in mind. “At Vabamu, we emphasize the fragility of freedom and the need for daily maintenance. We can move both forward and backward because of this.
Inside China’s Footbinding Tradition: The Painful Ritual of Lotus Shoes and Bound Feet
In China, Lotus shoes were used to bind women's feet to keep their feet small
Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.
The History Behind the “No One Dies Alone” Program
In 1986, while doing a night shift at the hospital, Sandra Clarke, a registered nurse, was asked by an elderly patient to stay. She promised to be back after checking on her other patients, but by the time she returned, the gentleman had passed away. Clarke became one of the key figures in launching No One Dies Alone, a program that allows volunteers to sit with terminal patients who have no one else.
The youngest person executed, George Stinney Jr was proven innocent
In 1944, George Stinney Jr. was 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina. It took only ten minutes to convict him — and 70 years to exonerate him.
How 18th Century Women’s Rights Movements Shaped Modern Equality
The 18th century marked a turning point in the quest for women’s rights, as passionate voices challenged centuries of gender inequality and laid the groundwork for modern feminism. From pioneers like Mary Wollstonecraft to revolutionary declarations and early advocacy, this era sparked debates on education, political participation, and social justice that continue to resonate today. Journey through the origins of women’s rights movements and discover how their bold ideas shaped the fight for equality.
Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident: Enemy became friends
During WWII, a German pilot spotted an American pilot’s crippled plane in the sky. Tailing it, he noticed that gunner was dead, crew injured, and they posed no threat. Instead of destroying the plane, he led it to safety. 40 years later, the two pilots reunited.
Nathan's Famous Doctor Stunt
When Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs first opened in 1916, the owner hired people to dress as doctors and eat hot dogs outside his shop, to convince people his hot dogs were healthy.
Roller Coasters were First Invented to Distract People from sin
Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin. In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson didn’t like that Americans were going to places like saloons and brothels and created the first roller coaster on Coney Island to persuade them to go there instead.
The unbroken seal on King Tutankhamun's tomb until 1922
The unbroken seal of Tutankhamun's tomb before it was opened in 1923, it was unbroken for over 3000 years.
Thomas Baker's heroic act that earned him the "Medal of Honor" was 8 bullets until death
Thomas Baker instructed his team to leave him with a pistol and eight bullets propped up against a tree after he was injured. Later, American troops discovered the now-deceased Baker in the same location, lying next to eight dead Japanese soldiers and carrying an empty pistol.
The 440-pound bear named Wojtek and his World War II battle against the Nazis
Polish troops raised an orphaned bear cub during WWII. He enjoyed drinking beer, and was trained to salute. He became officially enlisted as a member of the forces, and helped carry artillery during battle.
Quaker Oats Fed Children with Radioactive Oatmeal
In the 1940s and 1950s, Quaker Oats and MIT conducted experiments on radioactive iron and calcium-containing cereal. The diet was part of a study to see if the nutrients in Quaker oatmeal traveled throughout the body. In January 1998, a $1.85 million settlement was reached for 30 victims who came forward.
Tunnels Dug by ancient giant sloths, A South American Megafauna
For years, scientists didn’t know what caused mysterious cave networks in South America. In 2010, they learned that the caves were actually tunnels dug by ancient giant sloths
Why Comedians Failed to Make Sober Sue Laugh in the Early 1900s
In the bustling vaudeville scene of early 20th century New York, a mysterious performer known as "Sober Sue" captured public imagination not for jokes or songs, but for her unshakable stoicism—she never smiled or laughed. A local theater even offered a tempting reward of $1,000 to anyone who could make her laugh, drawing crowds and famous comedians eager to claim the prize. Despite countless hilarious attempts, Sue remained expressionless, a mystery that baffled performers and audiences until it was revealed that she suffered from facial paralysis, explaining her unchanging demeanor.
The story of a man who spent 72 hours with 72 venomous snakes to prove they only bite when provoked
In the 1980s, an Indian man spent 72 hours in a glass cabin with 72 snakes, some of which were extremely venomous. His aim was to prove that snakes only attack when provoked. Remarkably, he was not bitten once in those 72 hours and even set a Guinness World Record in the process.
June and Jennifer Gibbons The silent twin who Only Spoke to Each Other
Identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons were born on 11 April 1963 at a military hospital in Aden, Yemen where their father worked as part of the Royal Air Force.
Robert Odlum, the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge
The first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge was a professional high diver who "wanted to demonstrate that people did not die simply by falling through the air, thus encouraging people to be willing to jump from a burning building into a net." He proved himself correct by safely falling 135 feet through the air and dying only when he hit the water.
Moondyne Joe: The story of Australia's most notorious prison escapee
A man named Joseph Bolitho Johns (A.K.A Moondyne Joe) broke out of Australian prisons so many times that the police were compelled to build a special cell just for him. He escaped from that as well.
Saudi Arabia camel carvings dated to prehistoric era
Archaeologists were shocked to discover that a series of camels carved into desert rock faces in north-western Saudi Arabia are actually prehistoric, dating from 7,000-8,000 years ago - before either the Pyramids of Giza or Stonehenge were built.
The Littlest Skyscraper: How J.D. McMahon’s 480-Inch Con Fooled Investors in 1919
In 1919, J.D. McMahon convinced investors to fund a 480-foot skyscraper, but he labeled the plans as 480 inches, building a 40-foot structure instead. After taking $200,000, he won in court since the plans matched what he built.
From Flapper to Fashion Week: How 1920s Style Still Shapes Modern Trends
The roaring 1920s revolutionized fashion, introducing bold styles, daring cuts, and a spirit of freedom that still inspires today’s wardrobes. From flapper dresses to statement accessories, here’s how the Jazz Age lives on in modern fashion.
Knockers-up: waking up the Industrial Britain's Workers in 1900-1941
Before alarm clocks were invented, there was a profession called a knocker-up, which involved going from client to client and tapping on their windows (or banging on their doors) with long sticks until they were awake. It lasted into the 1920s.
The Amazing Truth About The German U-Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet
During WWII, a German captain and an engineer flushed the submarine's high-tech toilet incorrectly, causing the vessel to rapidly fill with water. British planes patrolling the sea attacked them as the submarine was brought to the surface. While many members of the crew were killed in the attack, the captain escaped!
how Ferris wheel invented
In 1891, Chicago challenged engineers to create a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower for the World's Columbian Exposition. George Washington Gale Ferris jr. responded with the original Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating structure elevating visitors above the city. This invention became an iconic attraction at the fair.
During the 1996 Olympic bombing, Richard Jewell falsely accused of committing the crime after saving dozens of people
Richard Jewell, an American security guard, discovered a bomb during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and assisted in the evacuation, but was later wrongfully accused and faced public scrutiny. He was cleared, but it had a lasting impact on him until his death in 2007 at the age of 44.
