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11 March: Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania

11 March: Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania

 

On 11 March 1990, the Act on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania adopted by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania stipulated that the execution of the sovereign powers of the State of Lithuania, abolished by foreign forces in 1940, is re-established, and henceforth Lithuania is again an independent state. This Act is a crucial document for Lithuania, which opened a new page in its history after the fifty-year long occupation and annexation by the soviet powers, as well as the efforts of the nation to preserve the spirit of freedom.

Lithuania’s people demonstrated their aspiration and determination to live in an independent Lithuania by their struggle for freedom, dissident activities, underground press, first anti-soviet demonstrations which evolved into the rallies of the Reform Movement Sąjūdis, attended by thousands, who chanted Lithuania and freedom, and into the unprecedented miracle of the Baltic Way, as well as 11 March 1990. The wings of freedom embraced Lithuania and called people to stand up and overcome the feeling of fear. Truth and publicity were the most powerful weapons against the soviet empire. 

11 March 1990 was the day of critical decisions. The Supreme Council adopted the legal acts to change the name of the state and the names of its supreme state institutions and approved the national coat of arms Vytis. At 6.08 p.m. the coat of arms of the Lithuanian SSR was covered and the three-colour national flag was hoisted in the Plenary Chamber. The deliberation on the Act on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania and the accompanying documents commenced. The Drafting Committee completed its work at 9.00 p.m. At 10.39 p.m. Vytautas Landsbergis, Chairman of the Supreme Council, announced the results of the roll-call vote on the Act on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania – 124 votes in favour with 6 abstentions. At 10.44 p.m. Lithuania became a free state after the fifty-year period of occupation. Members of the Supreme Council and guests chanted in the Plenary Chamber, Lithuania is free! Latvia will be free! Estonia will be free! Near the building of the Supreme Council people cheered and congratulated each other. The media hurried to report the news to the world. At the end of the sitting, the Supreme Council appealed to the nations of the world and the USSR, and Lithuania’s ethnic communities and informed the public about the restoration of the Lithuanian State. It also asked for solidarity and support for Lithuania to return to the family of free nations. 

Lithuanian people’s response to the aggression of the Soviet Union, the Kremlin’s demand to abolish the decisions of 11 March 1990, the imposed economic blockade, and demonstration of the soviet military power was rallies in support of Lithuania’s independence, attended by thousands, as well as manifestations and telegrams to USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. The wave of rallies spread all over Lithuania. It was the best response to Gorbachev’s Appeal to the People of the Lithuanian SSR

It was not only Lithuania’s people that gathered by thousands in rallies. Solidarity rallies were held across the Soviet Union and in western democratic countries that supported the independence of Lithuania. The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the Cathedral Square on 29 April 1990. As a sign of solidarity the symphony was also performed in Latvia, Moldova, and the USA on the same day.

The Supreme Council that operated in the period of 1990-1992 has been referred to as the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas since 28 November 1996. 

 

Sąjūdis rally in Vingis Park. Over 100 000 people attend the rally
Vilnius, 9 July 1988. | Photo by Vytautas Daraškevičius
Personal archives of Vytautas Daraškevičius
Participants of the rally respond to the Appeal to the People of the Lithuanian SSR by Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the USSR. We are for independence
Vingis Park, Vilnius, 7 April 1990. | Photo by Algirdas Sabaliauskas
Personal archives of Algirdas Sabaliauskas
Baltic Way
Lithuania, 23 August 1989. | Photo by Romualdas Jurgaitis
Personal archives of Romualdas Jurgaitis
Baltic Way
Lithuania, 23 August 1989. | Photo by Vktoras Kapočius
Lithuanian Central State Archives. 0-127443
Lithuanian and foreign journalists covered the first democratic elections to the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR, the would-be Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Election day in the polling station located in the Trade Union House of Culture on Tauras Hill
Vilnius, 24 February 1990. | Photo by Jonas Juknevičius
Lithuanian Central State Archives. 0-122999
International observers monitoring the Lithuanian parliamentary elections for the first time, members of the US Congress and the Parliament of Canada, acknowledged the election as an independence referendum
On the left: Press conference of the US congressmen at the Sąjūdis Headquarters. Vilnius, 26 February 1990. | Photo by Algimantas Žižiūnas
On the top right: A moment from the press conference. From left to right: Zigmas Vaišvila, Charles Christopher Cox, John Miller, Richard Durbin, and Bill Sarpalius. Vilnius, 26 February 1990. | Photo by Algimantas Žižiūnas
On the bottom right: Press conference of Canadian parliamentarians. From left to right: John Sola, Richard Johnston, Bob Rae and Bill Blaikie. Vilnius, 25 February 1990. | Photo by Romualdas Jurgaitis
Lithuanian Central State Archives. 0-139045, 0-139043, 0-109268
The day of freedom has dawned. Our future is independent Lithuania
Vilnius, 12 March 1990. | Photo by Romualdas Jurgaitis
Personal archives of Romualdas Jurgaitis
A veil over the coat of arms of the Lithuanian SSR in the Plenary Chamber
Vilnius, 6.08 p.m., 11 March 1990. | Photo by Romualdas Jurgaitis
Personal archives of Romualdas Jurgaitis
Members of the Supreme Council - Reconstituent Seimas chant, Lietuva jau laisva! Latvija bus laisva! Estija bus laisva! (Lithuania is free! Latvia will be free! Estonia will be free!)
Vilnius, 11 March 1990. | Photo by Andrius Petrulevičius
Personal archives of Andrius Petrulevičius
Lithuania is free gain. The Supreme Council adopts the Act on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania
From left to right:  Kazimieras Motieka, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas; Bronislovas Juozas Kuzmickas, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council –Reconstituent Seimas; Vytautas Landsbergis, Chairman of the Supreme Council –Reconstituent Seimas; Česlovas Vytautas Stankevičius, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas; and Aloyzas Sakalas, Member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas  Vilnius, 10.44 p.m., 11 March 1990. | Photo by Vladimiras Gulevičius
Personal archives of Vladimiras Gulevičius
Applause and congratulations on restoration of Lithuania’s independence
Vilnius, 11 March 1990. | Photo by Juozas Kazlauskas
The Archive of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. VI-030-JK-002
Lithuania’s people express their support to the Members of the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas: the future of Lithuania is in their hands
Vilnius, 11 March 1990. | Photo by Romualdas Jurgaitis
Personal archives of Romualdas Jurgaitis
Rally near Martynas Mažvydas National Library in support of Lithuania’s independence
Vilnius, 17 March 1990. | Photo by Kęstutis Jankauskas
Personal archives of Kęstutis Jankauskas
Our children must grow in free Lithuania. Student rally near the Parliament building in support of the independence of Lithuania
Vilnius, 12 April 1990. | Photo by Andrius Petrulevičius
Personal archives of Andrius Petrulevičius
Rally in Tbilisi in support of the restored independent Lithuania
Tbilisi, 17 March 1990. | Photo by Eugenijus Masevičius
Lithuanian Central State Archives. 0-099998
Rally in Moscow to show solidarity with Lithuania’s independence
Moscow, 31 March 1990. | Photos by Anatoly Morkovkin and Andrei Solovyov
Personal archives
Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in Cathedral Square in Vilnius, broadcast by Lithuanian National Radio. On the same day, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is performed in Latvia, Moldova, and some US cities as a gesture of solidarity
Vilnius, 29 April 1990. | Photo by Andrius Petrulevičius
Personal archives of Andrius Petrulevičius

 

 

Compiled by the Office of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Unit for Historical Memory of Parliamentarianism