 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
| Singing Revolution | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theRevolutions of 1989 and theDissolution of the Soviet Union | |||
.jpg)     Clockwise from the top left: the Song of Estonia Festival in 1988, theBaltic Way human chain in 1989, leaders of theSupreme Council of Lithuania after the promulgation of theAct of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania in 1990, a Lithuanian civilian confronts a Soviet tank during theJanuary Events in 1991,The Barricades in Riga in 1991 | |||
| Date | 14 June 1987 – 6 September 1991 (1987-06-14 –1991-09-06) (4 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 2 days) | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | |||
| Goals |
| ||
| Methods | |||
| Resulted in | Restoration of the independence of the Baltic states
| ||
| Parties | |||
| |||
| Lead figures | |||
| |||
TheSinging Revolution[a] was a series of events from 1987 to 1991 that led to the restoration of independence of the threeSoviet-occupiedBaltic countries ofEstonia,Latvia, andLithuania at theend of the Cold War. The Soviet Unionannexed the countries as republics around 1940, following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression agreement with Nazi Germany, though this annexation wasnot widely recognized. During the subsequent occupation, local languages, religious institutions, and cultural expression were suppressed, and large-scale deportations and political repression were carried out.[1]
In the late 1980s, massive demonstrations against the Soviet regime began after widespread liberalization of the regime failed to take into account national sensitivities. Civic organizations such as Sąjūdis in Lithuania, the Popular Front of Latvia, and the Estonian Popular Front coordinated petitions, rallies, and public forums to express dissent.[2] Public song festivals became a key element of resistance, as tens of thousands of participants sang national and folk songs in mass gatherings, blending cultural revival with political protest.[3]
The situation deteriorated to such an extent that by 1989, there were campaigns aimed at freeing the nations from the Soviet Union altogether. The Baltic peoples staged massdemonstrations against Soviet rule, most notably theBaltic Way of 1989 on the 50th anniversary of the Nazi-Soviet pact. Approximately two million people joined hands to form a continuous human chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to symbolize unity and a popular commitment to independence.[4]
In 1988–89, the three countries proclaimedsovereignty within the Soviet Union, the first republics to do so. Lithuaniadeclared independence in March 1990, followed by Latvia and Estonia in May. Soviet governmenteconomic pressure and armed crackdowns inLithuania andLatvia failed, including the January 1991 assault on Vilnius in which fourteen civilians were killed. Citizens relied on civic committees, public readings of historical texts, and symbolic displays such as national flags to maintain pressure on Soviet authorities[5]. Following the failedAugust Coup by Communist hardliners, various countries began to recognize Baltic independence. The Soviet Union recognized the three Baltic states in September 1991, over two months before itsfinal dissolution. All three countries joined theEU andNATO in 2004.
The Singing Revolution is remembered as a major example of peaceful national mobilization and cultural resilience that demonstrated how organized civic action and public demonstrations can achieve political transformation without widespread armed conflict. Annual commemorations, song festivals, and educational programs continue to celebrate this period as a pivotal moment of national self-determination in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.[1]
Following theMolotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, the Soviet Unioninvaded and occupied the three Baltic countries, annexing them asrepublics. This annexation wasnot widely recognized. In particular, theUnited Statesrefused to recognize the annexation neitherde facto norde jure and continued to host Baltic diplomats inWashington, DC.Nazi Germanyoccupied the Baltic states during itsinvasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, but the Soviet Unionreconquered the three countries in 1944–45. Thereafter the Soviets facedwidespread armed resistance from BalticForest Brothers, which was largely defeated by the early 1950s. Thereafter, adissident underground movement remained in the Soviet-controlled Baltic states, with sporadic acts of public dissent occurring.
In 1985, the last leader of the former Soviet Union,Mikhail Gorbachev introducedglasnost ("openness") andperestroika ("restructuring"), hoping to stimulate the failing Soviet economy and encourage productivity, particularly in the areas of consumer goods, the liberalization of cooperative businesses, and growing the service economy. Glasnost rescinded limitations onpolitical freedoms in the Soviet Union, which led to problems for the Soviet central government in retaining control over non-Russian areas, including the occupied Baltic countries.
Hitherto unrecognized issues previously kept secret by the Soviet central government in Moscow were admitted to in public, causing further popular dissatisfaction with the Soviet regime in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Combined with thewar in Afghanistan and thenuclear fallout in Chernobyl, grievances were aired in a publicly explosive and politically decisive manner. Estonians were concerned about thedemographic threat to their national identity posed by the influx of individuals from foreign ethnic groups to work on such large Soviet development projects as phosphate mining.[6]
TheSinging Revolution[a] is the name given to the series of events from 1987 to 1991 that led to the restoration of independence of the threeSoviet-occupiedBaltic countries ofEstonia,Latvia, andLithuania at theend of the Cold War.[7][8] The term was coined by an Estonian activist and artist,Heinz Valk, in an article published a week after the 10–11 June 1988 spontaneous mass evening singing demonstrations at the EstonianTallinn Song Festival Grounds.[9]
Massive demonstrations against the Soviet regime began after widespread liberalization of the regime failed to take into account national sensitivities. It was hoped byMoscow that the non-Russian nations would remain within the USSR despite the removal of restrictions on freedom of speech and national icons (such as the local pre-1940 flags).[3] However, the situation deteriorated to such an extent that by 1989, there were campaigns aimed at freeing the nations from the Soviet Union altogether. The Baltic peoples staged massdemonstrations against Soviet rule, most notably theBaltic Way of 1989 on the 50th anniversary of the Nazi-Soviet pact. In 1988–89, the three countries proclaimedsovereignty within the Soviet Union, the first republics to do so.
Lithuaniadeclared independence in March 1990, followed by Latvia and Estonia in May. The Soviet government attempted to crack down on this througheconomic pressure and then armed crackdowns inLithuania andLatvia in January 1991, but failed. Following the failedAugust Coup by Communist hardliners, various countries began to recognize Baltic independence. The Soviet Union recognized the three Baltic states in September 1991, over two months before itsfinal dissolution. Later, all three countries joined theEU andNATO in 2004.
| Eastern Bloc | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||
Allied and satellite states
| ||||||||
| ||||||||
Cold War events
| ||||||||
The Singing Revolution is one of the most prominent examples of nonviolent collective action of the late twentieth century.[1] Unlike many other struggles for national self-determination during the Cold War, the movements of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania deliberately adopted strategies of civil resistance rather than armed confrontation. The use of song, public gatherings, and symbolic acts enabled widespread participation while limiting the potential for violent escalation.[1]
In each republic, cultural and civic organizations provided the initial frameworks for coordinated activism. Estonia’s Heritage Society, Latvia’s Environmental Protection Club, and Lithuania’s Sąjūdis movement emerged from officially sanctioned cultural or ecological associations and soon became central to organized political protest.[2] Public events, historical commentaries, and mass singing festivals reframed dissent as expressions of national identity and moral renewal rather than as direct challenges to state authority.[1]
The nonviolent approach was both cultural and strategic. Leaders of the Baltic independence movements drew on local traditions and international models of civil resistance to situate their actions within a broader discourse of peaceful change.[5] This framing enhanced international legitimacy and helped attract support from Western governments by aligning the movements with global human rights principles.[2]
Music and collective singing played a distinctive role in maintaining nonviolent discipline. Researchers have described these performances as a form ofemotional disarmament, in which shared song helped sustain unity and reduce fear under conditions of repression.[10] During major demonstrations – including the Tartu Pop Festival, the Baltic Way, and the 1991 protests in Vilnius and Riga – participants frequently sang national anthems and traditional songs, transforming public spaces into symbols of solidarity and peaceful resistance.[11]
Although instances of provocation and limited Soviet military intervention occurred - most notably in Lithuania in January 1991 – the movements largely maintained a commitment to nonviolence. Disciplined civilian resistance contributed to the erosion of Soviet authority and accelerated its decline in the Baltic region.[12] The Singing Revolution has been compared to other nonviolent transitions, such as those in East Germany and Czechoslovakia, all as primary examples of the use of cultural identity, moral conviction, and organized political strategy as successful nonviolent tactics.[1]
Part ofa series on the |
|---|
| History ofEstonia |
 |
| Chronology |
 Estonia portal |
The Soviet government's plan to excavate phosphorite in theLääne-Viru county with potentially catastrophic consequences for the environment and society was revealed in February 1987. That started the "Phosphorite War", a public environmental campaign.[13] TheMRP-AEG group held theHirvepark meeting in theOld Town of Tallinn on the anniversary of theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pact on 23 August 1987, demanding todisclose and condemn itssecret protocol.[1]
Access to Western émigré communities abroad and, particularly in Estonia, informal relations withFinland, and access to Finnish TV showing the Western lifestyle also contributed to widespread dissatisfaction with the Soviet system and provoked mass demonstrations as repression on dissidents, nationalists, religious communities, and ordinary consumers eased substantially towards the end of the 1980s.[14]
The "Five Patriotic Songs" series byAlo Mattiisen premiered at theTartu Pop Festival in May 1988.[15] In June, the Old Town Festival was held in Tallinn, and after the official part of the festival, the participants moved tothe Song Festival Grounds and started to sing patriotic songs together spontaneously.[16] TheBaltic Way, ahuman chain of two million people, spanned from Tallinn toVilnius on 23 August 1989.[17] Mattiisen's "Five Patriotic Songs" were performed again at the Rock Summer festival in Tallinn held on 26–28 August 1988.[18] The Song of Estonia festival was held at the Song Festival Grounds on 11 September.[15]Trivimi Velliste, Chairman of the Estonian Heritage Society, first voiced the public ambition to regain independence.[19] The Supreme Soviet of Estonia issued theEstonian Sovereignty Declaration on 16 November.[17]
The Singing Revolution lasted over four years, with various protests and acts of defiance. The revolution was led by three different groups: the Heritage Society, the Popular Front, and the National Independence Party. The Heritage Society, established in 1987, focused on spreading awareness about Estonia's history to gather support for Estonia's independence from the Soviets. The Popular Front, founded in 1988, wanted to reform Estonia into self-government within a loose confederation of the Soviet Union. The National Independence Party, established in 1988 as well, was more radical than the other two organizations and demanded complete independence from the Soviet Union.[20][21]
In 1991, as the central government in Moscow and the Soviet Army attempted to stop the Estonian progress towards independence, the newlyelected legislature of Estonia together with an elected grassroots parliament,Congress of Estonia, proclaimed the restoration of the independentstate of Estonia and repudiated Soviet legislation. Large groups of unarmed volunteers went to shield the parliament, radio, and TV buildings from any attacks by Soviet troops. Through these actions, Estonia regained its independence without any blood shed.[22]
Independence was declared on the late evening of 20 August 1991, after an agreement between different political parties was reached. The next morning, Soviet troops, according to Estonian TV, attempted to stormTallinn TV Tower but were unsuccessful.[23] The Communist hardliners'coup attempt failed amidst mass pro-democracy demonstrations in Moscow led byBoris Yeltsin.[24]
On 22 August 1991,Iceland (independent country since 1944) announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Estonia, and Iceland thus became the first foreign country to formally recognize the fully restored independence of Estonia in 1991. Today, a plaque commemorating this event is situated on the outside wall of the Foreign Ministry, which is on Islandi väljak 1, or "Iceland Square 1". The plaque reads; "The Republic ofIceland was the first to recognize, on 22 August 1991, the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Estonia", inEstonian,Icelandic, andEnglish. Some other nations did not recognize the annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union.[25][26]
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
During the second half of the 1980s, asMikhail Gorbachev introducedglasnost andperestroika in theUSSR, which rolled back restrictions to freedom in the Soviet Union, aversion to the Soviet regime had grown into the thirdLatvian National Awakening, which reached its peak in mid-1988.
In 1986, it became widely known to the public that the USSR was planning to build anotherhydroelectric power plant on Latvia's largest riverDaugava, and that a decision had been made to build ametro inRiga.[27] Both of these projects planned by Moscow could have led to the destruction of Latvia's landscape and cultural and historical heritage. In the press, journalists urged the public to protest against these decisions. The public reacted immediately, and in response, theEnvironmental Protection Club was founded on 28 February 1987. During the second half of the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Club became one of the most influential mass movements in the region and began to make demands for the restoration of Latvia's independence.[27]
On 14 June 1987, the anniversary of the1941 deportations, the human rights group "Helsinki-86", which had been founded a year earlier, organized people to place flowers at theFreedom Monument (Latvia's symbol of independence, which was erected in 1935). This is widely cited as the beginning of the National Awakening. However, theLatvian Song and Dance Festival of 1985 also had been sometimes named as such for choirs requesting and performing the songGaismas pils conducted by Haralds Mednis after the main event. The song, which speaks about the rebirth of a free Latvian nation, usually a staple of the festival, had been removed from the repertoire; the conductor, disliked by Soviet authorities, was sidelined at the closing concert. He was called from his seat by the choir and 'Gaismas pils' was performed, airing live onRiga Television.[28]
On 1 and 2 June 1988, the Writers' Union held a congress during which the democratization of society, Latvia's economic sovereignty, the cessation of immigration from the USSR, the transformation of industry, and the protection of Latvian language rights were discussed by delegates. Over the course of this conference, for the first time in post-war Latvia, the secret protocol of theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pact, which had determined Latvia's fate after 1939, was publicly acknowledged.[2]
The congress of the Writers' Union stirred up public opinion and provided an additional stimulus for the general process ofnational revival.[citation needed]
In the summer of 1988, two of the most important organizations of the revival period began to assemble themselves—theLatvian People's Front and theLatvian National Independence Movement (LNIM). Soon afterwards, the more radically inclinedCitizens' Congress called for complete non-compliance with the representatives of the Soviet regime.[2] All of these organizations had a common goal: the restoration of democracy and independence. On 7 October 1988, there was a mass public demonstration, calling for Latvia's independence and the establishment of a regular judicial order. On 8 and 9 October, the first congress of the Latvian People's Front was held. This organization, which attracted 200,000 members, became the main representative of the return to independence.[2]
On 23 August 1989, the fiftieth anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, the People's Fronts of all three Baltic countries held a huge demonstration of unity—the "Baltic Way". A 600-kilometre-long (373 mi) human "chain" from Tallinn through Riga toVilnius was assembled. This was a symbolic demonstration of the people's call for independence from the Soviet Union.
New elections to theSupreme Soviet took place on 18 March 1990, in which the supporters of independence gained a victory. On 4 May 1990, the new Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR adopted a motion, "Declaration of Independence", which called for the restoration of the inter-war Latvian state and the 1922 Constitution.
In January 1991, however, pro-communist political forces attempted to restore Soviet power. With the use of force, attempts were made to overthrow the new assembly. Latvian demonstrators managed to stop the Soviet troops from re-occupying strategic positions, and these events are known as the "Days of the Barricades".
On 19 August 1991, an unsuccessful attempt at acoup d'état took place in Moscow when a small group of prominent Soviet functionaries failed to regain power due to large pro-democracy demonstrations in Russia. This event resulted in Latvia swiftly moving toward independence. After the coup's failure, the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian Republic announced, on 21 August 1991, that the transition period to full independence declared on 4 May 1990 had come to an end. Therefore, Latvia was proclaimed a fully independent nation whose judicial foundation stemmed back to the statehood that existed before the occupation on 17 June 1940.
Between 1956 and 1987, open public resistance to the Soviet regime was rare. It became more persistent in the 1970s and 1980s. One example of this could be the Kaunas events of 1972. Many popular singers often used the poetry of nationalist poets, such asBernardas Brazdžionis orJustinas Marcinkevičius, as the lyrics of their songs. In 1987, theRock March also promoted awareness of the issue among the people.[1]
In 1987, various organizations (mainly environmental ones) were founded. On 3 June 1988, theSąjūdis, a political and social movement, was established. Some initiators of this movement were active members of environmental organizations, established in 1987 (e.g.Zigmas Vaišvila,Gintaras Songaila). Initially, this organization supported the regime, but in early autumn of the same year, after Lithuania-wide growth, it became an opposing force to the CPL.
In response to this, Sąjūdis became a more centralized organization. The active nationalist opposition (mostly theLithuanian Liberty League) towards the regime culminated in various public protests. The most notorious of themtook place on 28 October 1988, which ended up with violent dispersal. The resulting public anger caused resignations in theCommunist Party of Lithuania (including the then-First Secretary of the party,Ringaudas Songaila, who served just over a year) and replaced them with more moderate members.[29]
As the CPL leadership changed, it decided to returnVilnius Cathedral, formerly used as a museum of fine arts, to the Catholic community on 21 October 1988. Thenational anthem of Lithuania and the traditional nationalTricolore were legalized in Lithuania on 18 November 1988, officially replacing theflag and theanthem of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was followed by the recognition of theLithuanian language as a state language, which meant that it became the sole legal language on an institutional level.[30] The latter change was instrumental in the removal of some officials (e.g. Nikolai Mitkin, who served as the Second Secretary of the CPL), but fueled tensions in Polish and Russian speaking communities.
It was followed by the gradual rebuilding of national symbols, which included erecting or restoring independence monuments throughout the country in late 1988 and 1989.
During 1989, various organisations (e.g. The Writers Union) split from the Soviet ones. Prior to theelection of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union, Sąjūdis media became more restricted, but after the defeat of the CPL (it won just six seats of 42, other seats were won by Sąjūdis supported candidates), restrictions were lifted. By the end of the year, the CPL gave up its power monopoly and agreed to hold free elections forSupreme Soviet of Lithuanian SSR in 1990, which it lost.
Five decades after Lithuania was occupied and incorporated into the Soviet Union, Lithuania became the first republic todeclare its independence from the USSR on 11 March 1990, while Estonia and Latvia declared Soviet rule to have been illegal from the start and since full restoration of independence was not yet feasible, started a period of transition towards independence, culminating with the failure of the August coup. For the same reason, almost all nations in the international community, exceptIceland, hesitated to recognize independence for Lithuania until August 1991.[citation needed]
The Soviet military responded harshly. On 13 January 1991, fourteen non-violent protesters in Vilnius died and hundreds were injured defending theVilnius Television Tower and theParliament from Soviet assault troops and tanks. Lithuanians refer to the event asDay of the Defenders of Freedom. The discipline and courage of its citizens – linking arms and singing in the face of tanks and armour-piercing bullets – avoided a much greater loss of life and showed the world that Lithuania's citizens were prepared to defend their national independence.[5]
International governments began recognizing Lithuanian independence after the failure of thecoup d'état in August 1991.
.png)
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)The President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves said: "... ... we are thankful that Ireland never recognised the illegal annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union after the Second World War. We will never forget John McEvoy, Estonia's honorary consul in Dublin from 1938 to 1960.
