Lithuania Awakening (Volume 4)

by Alfred Erich Senn

Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of perestroika released new forces throughout Soviet society. In Lithuania this process resulted in a psychological-cultural revolution. Deep-rooted feelings, long suppressed, exploded, demonstrations and mass meetings ensued, and the face of the society changed. Although at the beginning of 1988 Lithuania appeared to be one of the relatively conservative republics in the Soviet Union, by the end of the year it stood among the leaders in pushing change. By 1990, Lithuania was even forcing Moscow to respond to its initiatives for independence and economic reform.

Is Lithuania the prototype of a nation emerging from the collectivity of the Soviet Union? Alfred Erich Senn, who was present during most of this piece of history in the making, believes that it may be. He documents the dramatic events and changes in Lithuania during 1988 with the perspective of a historian and the immediacy of a participant.

The reader will easily grasp the whole spectrum of political activity in Lithuania, and the range from right to left among Lithuanian activists. And, because the Lithuanians have emerged among the leaders of change in the Soviet Union, Senn's account provides a key to later developments, in terms of both political movements and political personalities.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

297 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 1990

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, you've probably read the summary and know enough about history to figure out how this book ends. which is precisely why I loved it.

I believe I read somewhere that Mr. Alfred Erich Senn was actually Lithuanian and was around when this whole business went down, and boy, he must have done his research, this book is absolutely phenomenal. He offers very detailed account of the events and remained diligent throughout the whole thing. Which I can't help but feel is somewhat rare in the land of history.

This time in history is just so inspiring I just can't help but share some paragraphs I really like:

"When a demonstrator first raised the yellow-green-red banner on Gediminas Square, spectators felt both exultation and fear. A young man told me that he trembled just taking pictures of the event. When no arrests took place and the state somehow withstood the challenge, one could be sure that the flag would soon make other appearances. That in itself represented a major psychological victory for the Freedom League. It had dared to act, and it had gotten away with it." -Page 76

"Leaving Moscow, the Lithuanian delegates nevertheless argued that they had done their share in convincing their colleagues to remember the problems of the minority nationalities, and on returning home they found a Lithuania that had itself changed. A Baltic student festival in Vilnius, known as "Gaudeamus," had excited the population by raising the national flags of all three Baltic nationalities--the Estonian students had come prepared with appropriate flags for their Latvian and Lithuanian comrades--and although Lithuanian television authorities tried to destroy all the tapes of controversial scenes, a groundswell of national feeling was creating an expectant atmosphere for the planed public meeting with the conference delegates.'' --page 85

In conclusion if you're interested in reading about this particular time in history, this book's ability to stay to the facts and details with that little bit of personal touch is informational in the best way, I most certainly recommend it (for best results take notes on the side, like I said, a lot of detail).

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[Justin F. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, however, I was under the expectation that it would cover the events beyond the March 11th Restoration of Independence, but I suppose this was just regarding the road to independence, end of the illegal occupation, and the "awakening" rather than covering post-1990 Soviet-Lithuania relations.