In 1989, around 2 million people from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania formed a human chain that united all three countries to show the world their desire to escape the Soviet Union and communism. The human chain known as the 'Baltic Way' stretched over 600km long.
The Baltic Way was a massive demonstration for freedom, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact betwen Hitler and Stalin, which had paved the way for the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States.
One in four people in the three Baltic States took part - young and old, in some cases several generations of the same families.
The chain publicised their cause to the world and symbolised solidarity. It was the biggest demonstration in the history of the Soviet Union and the turning point for the struggle for freedom of the Baltic States, with each state showing its desire for independence.
Source: europeana.eu
