Today Lithuania commemorates the day of Freedom defenders.  19 years ago the Soviet troops attempted to crush Lithuania’s Independence killing 14 and injuring hundreds.

The Independence Act signatory Vidmantas Povilonis said on a conference dedicated to the January events yesterday, ‘I still have an image in the front of my eyes when a volunteer is climbing over the sacks of sand that barricaded the corridors (of Parliament) and possibly only one weapon in his possession was a little kitchen rolling-pin that was sticking out of the back pocket of his trousers’.

Chief of Defense of Lithuania, Major General Arvydas Pocius was also amongst the volunteers in the Parliament building.  He said that the main aim behind this resistance in 13 January 1991 was to correct a mistake of 1940 when Lithuania let the Soviets occupy it without a single shot.

It could be said that 13 January 1991 was the Lithuania’s Winter War.  Read a post in which one of the Parliament’s defenders, together with thousands of others, was preparing to sacrifices his live for Lithuania’s freedom.