Die Erben des Gediminas
The Heirs of Gediminas

Summary/Abstract: When Mikhail Gorbachev, on April 7, 1990, imposed an economic blockade on Lithuania, the majority of residents of Vilnius gathered in a park. In her brief address Vytautas Landsbergis, the recently elected President of the Republic, quoted the following words Gediminas', a Lithuanian Grand Duke of the 14th century: "Rather the iron turns to wax and the water turns to stone, as that we retire." Where else a head of state would now be guided in times of political crisis of a text, which was written six hundred years ago? Even more amazing, however, that the quotation was reflecting exactly public state of mind. Such is Lithuania.

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