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.
Ancient Egyptians Had Pregnancy Tests Over 3500 Years Ago
The ancient Egyptians used a pregnancy test that involved potentially pregnant women peeing on barley and wheat seeds. Plant growth indicated pregnancy: barley for a boy and wheat for a girl. Later tests revealed that pregnant women's urine causes plant growth 70% of the time, whereas non-pregnant women's urine does not.
Hedy Lamarr, A Hollywood actress who also a mathematician and inventor
Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr was also a mathematician and the inventor of frequency hopping spread spectrum, a technology still used for bluetooth and wifi
How Sleep Deprivation Was Once Used as Torture
Sleep deprivation, long before modern interrogation techniques, was considered a “clean” and effective form of torture—leaving no physical scars, yet breaking minds with haunting silence. Victims endured days and nights without rest, leading to vivid hallucinations, disorientation, and psychological torment. This article traces the dark history of sleep deprivation as a weapon, examines the science behind its effects on the brain, and shines a light on the painful balance between human endurance and cruelty in the annals of coercion.
What exactly was the US's 'Ghost Army' during WWII?
During WW2, there was a special unit of men dubbed the ‘Ghost Army’. The unit was made of artists, creative and engineers and their job was to create deception about the enemy. From inflatable tanks to phony convoys to scripted conversations in bars intended to spread disinformation, they used all possible tricks to fool the enemy.
How did Howard Florey discover penicillin
Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, but he never attempted to turn it into an antibiotic. It wasn't until ten years later that Howard Florey discovered Fleming's obscure paper and understood the mold's potential. Up to 200 million lives may have been saved as a result of Florey's work.
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.
Graves holding hands over wall, A Catholic woman and her Protestant husband grave
A protestant man and a Catholic woman who weren't allowed from being buried together in a graveyard in 19th-century Holland turned their graves into a monument showing them holding hands across the wall separating them.
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
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.
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.
What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?
Between 1764 and 1767, a mysterious animal called the Beast of Gévaudan terrorized the French village called Gévaudan. It attacked and killed about 100 adults and children. While most believe it was a wolf, some say it may have been a wolf-dog hybrid, hyena or even a lion, but without any genetic evidence, the beast will remain a mystery forever.
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.
Medieval Medicine: A 1,000-year-old onion and garlic salve kills modern bacterial superbugs
Scientists recreated an Anglo-Saxon manuscript-based 9th century onion and garlic eye remedy and discovered that it killed 90% of antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria (MRSA).
10 world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history
Volcanic eruptions can devastate cities, change the world's atmosphere, and devastate economic systems. They can create molten lava rivers, mudslides, suffocating ash, and poisonous gases that cause chaos around the world for years. A volcanic explosion's effects can be massive, from its size to its death toll to its economic cost. Here is ten world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history.
Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Amazonian Cities Using Lidar Technology
Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient network of urban settlements once inhabited by the Upano people about 2,000 years ago. Using cutting-edge lidar technology, these discoveries reveal a highly organized society featuring sophisticated agricultural systems, drainage canals, and extensive road networks. This transformative find challenges long-held assumptions about ancient Amazonian societies and sheds light on a complex civilization thriving in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
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.
The Mouth of Truth: Ancient Rome’s Legendary "Lie Detector" That Bit Off Hands
Discover the chilling legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Ancient Rome—a massive carved stone face believed to bite off the hand of anyone who lied while inserting their hand into its gaping mouth. Uncover the truth behind its eerie reputation and how this ancient artifact became a symbol of honesty and fear.
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 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.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
8 Interesting Facts About The Unsinkable Ship, TITANIC
If you ask your friends what's the most famous ship in history the answer in most cases will be the same, of course the legendary Titanic. Its history is full of mysteries, at first it was a source of hope and national pride as well as proof of the triumphs of mankind but it soon became a source of nostalgia and pain, the extent of which cannot be described in words.
The touching story of David Vetter (bubble boy), the 'boy who lived in a bubble
David Vetter lived his whole 12 years in sterile “bubble”. He was “outside” for 20 second after being removed from his mother’s womb. He never touched any human.
Irena Sendler: woman who rescued Jews during holocaust
Irene Sendler was the Zegota resistance group's head of the children's department. She risked her life to smuggle children out of the Warsaw ghetto, place them with Polish families or orphanages, give each child a new identity, and keep records so that they could be returned to their families. In 1943, the Gestapo arrested and sentenced her to death, but she was rescued by Zegota.
Remembering the miracles of the 1985 Mexico earthquake (unbelievable stories)
In 1985, after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico City, nearly all newborn babies survived a collapsed hospital. They are known as “Miracle Babies” for surviving 7 days without nourishment, water, warmth or human contact.
