RT by @JanAlbrecht: 35 years ago today, 2 million hands united across Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn in a 600km chain for freedom.

The #BalticWay wasn’t just a moment, it was a movement.

Our freedom was hard-won, and now we stand with #Ukraine as they fight for theirs.

[2024-08-23 09:32 UTC]

8月23日在歐洲是個很特別的日子。

1989年的今天，在波羅的海三國——愛沙尼亞、拉脫維亞、立陶宛，有200萬人手拉手組成一道人牆，史稱「波羅的海之路」The Baltic Way. 這是三國掙脫蘇聯統治的重要一步。

2009年，歐洲議會表決通過，8月23日定為「歐洲斯大林主義和納粹主義受害者紀念日」，又稱「極權主義和專制政權受害者紀念日」。

如果把時間往前推，1572年的今天，法國天主教徒屠殺新教徒，史稱「聖巴多羅買大屠殺」，巴黎塞納河被屍體染紅，巴黎人多年不吃河裡的魚。

波羅的海三國二十世紀初從俄國獨立，二戰期間又被蘇聯吞併，直到1990年代初才重新獨立。但這三個國家的情況也不一樣：愛沙尼亞因爲地緣和語言文化接近芬蘭，早就享受着接近西方的紅利，所以重新獨立之後的發展也比另外兩國要好。

主流敘述都說納粹德國多麼罪惡，卻鮮少提及二戰期間蘇聯的罪行。不過像波羅的海三國這樣的前蘇聯加盟共和國，或者其他東歐的蘇聯衛星國，獨立之後走上民主道路、主動加入西方陣營的，都在新的國家歷史敘述當中把共產主義時期當作「黑暗的舊社會」。

#August23 #BalticWay

Today is the 35th anniversary of the Baltic Way, a peaceful protest that linked people from Vilnius, Lithuania, through Riga, Latvia, to Tallinn, Estonia. It was originally held on the 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1989 in an impressive display of pre-internet organization. Original footage never fails to give me feels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Way

The picture below is from 2020, when the marking of the anniversary was combined with a show of solidarity with Belarus, whose people were widely protesting the rigged election of Lukashenko.

The summer of 2020 was a bit freer in the Baltics because the lockdowns had meant that somehow the three countries had comparatively low levels of covid and people could travel freely between the three states (though masking was still required).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Bubble

I'll include a couple of videos, too in the continuation of the thread.

#BalticWay #Baltics #Lithuania #Latvia #Estonia #Peace #Freedom #Protest #Belarus #covid

OTD 1989, 50th anniversary of 1939 Soviet-Nazi (Stalin-Hitler) Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, #BalticWay, a peaceful human chain demonstration of 2 million across #BalticStates #Estonia #Eesti #Igaunija #Latvia #Latvija #Lithuania #Lietuva protesting Russian oppression, calling for independence✌️
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Way

RFE/RL How A Photographer Captured The 'Baltic Chain' From Above
https://www.rferl.org/a/how-a-photographer-captured-the-1989-baltic-way-protest-from-above/30119472.html
#RFERL #BalticChain

Another amazing thread from BadBalticTakes on an astonishing slice of #history when a quarter of the populations of #Estonia, #Lithuania, and #Latvia formed a continuous 670km human chain, the #BalticWay, denouncing both #Nazi and #Soviet ideologies and demanding #freedom.

Start here: https://twitter.com/badbaltictakes/status/1639224015339372550?s=46&t=DdVWzntVQzRrQe4wxh94rg

#OnThisDay in 1989 🇪🇪 & 🇱🇹 & 🇱🇻 created a human chain as peaceful demonstration against oppressive regime. #BalticWay
In 2020, this gesture was repeated in solidarity w/ 🇧🇾. #FreedomWay
Today, my thoughts are w/ Ukrainians & their desire for #democracy. 🇺🇦🇪🇺
#StandWithUkraine️

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/VeraJourova/status/1562068565641072641

RT @VSinkevicius: On this day in 1989 people of 🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 stood together in the #BalticWay.

More than 2M people from Vilnius to Tallinn stood for the freedom, dignity & European dream.

Don’t allow agressors to scare you, unity is the most powerful repulse.

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/BasEickhout/status/1562004499413323776

RT @VSinkevicius: On this day in 1989 people of 🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 stood together in the #BalticWay.

More than 2M people from Vilnius to Tallinn stood for the freedom, dignity & European dream.

Don’t allow agressors to scare you, unity is the most powerful repulse.

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/ZEK_Praha/status/1562011500939706368