Baltic States - An Introduction

If someone had predicted right after the Baltic states regained independence that they would soon experience rapid growth and a notable rise in living standards, the guy would surely have been strapped into a white coat and carted straight off to the nearest funny farm. But, alas, that’s what has happened. Especially relative to other nations of the former Soviet empire, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are now booming.

Answers to questions about how much life has changed for the better since independence can vary wildly according to whom you talk to. Younger people are far more likely to have benefited from the economic gains, and they rejoice about the dawn of free-market capitalism. They are, after all, the ones wearing new designer clothes and driving BMWs. The elderly are more likely to complain that their lives have become worse. There are those who would even look back fondly at Soviet rule, which, while utterly gray, boring and oppressive, was also more secure and predictable. In the Baltics, however, those who advocate turning back the clock are very few and far between. For bona fide reactionaries, try Russia or Belarus.
Complaining by the average man and woman on the street is relatively mute considering the hardships they have had to put up with in recent years. Plummeting living standards that nearly everyone has suffered to some degree or another since 1991 would have been enough to spark riots and bloodletting in most Western countries. Here, there is an underlying faith that things are moving in the right direction. There is, of course, the small matter of resurgent Russian imperialism. That potential threat is always more or less on the minds of people in the region. But Russia, like the weather, is something Balts understand they can only do so much about: just cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Different and the Same

A decade after independence, it has become fashionable for Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians to play down their similarities. After tearing themselves from Moscow’s iron grip, they are, understandably, taking the time to blow their own horns for a while.
But they have more in common than they’re inclined to admit.
All three were conquered and pillaged by the same communist superpower, for one thing. This bitter legacy continues to impact all three nations, from the emotional scars that come from living under totalitarianism to the ungodly apartment blocks that spoil the outskirts of every major city.

And while Lithuania’s history in the Middle Ages was unique, with its powerful monarchy and union with Poland, Estonian and Latvian histories have been closely parallel for going on 800 years—from the 13th century Teutonic invasion to the present. And since around 1800, Lithuanian history has also been remarkably similar to that of the other two Baltics.
In all three Baltic states, you also sometimes still get the same sense you’re in a time warp, where the 1930s have collided head on with the 1990s. Many Balts own the latest-model Mercedes and use laptops to log on to wireless Internet services, while others still drive Stalinist-era wrecks and don’t even have a phone.
Balts also share many of the same values and idiosyncrasies. They share a similar love of forests, and they have the same kind of tenacity and stubbornness—traits that have served them well as a series of occupiers tried and failed to break their spirits.
They can also have the same tendency towards suspicion of outsiders and can derive a little bit too much pleasure from the misfortune of others. As one Lithuanian saying goes, “Every Lithuanian hopes his neighbor’s horse dies.” They all have a well-ingrained fear, even loathing for Russia.
But there are clear differences, starting with their respective languages. Lithuanian and Latvian are related, but vowel-rich Estonian isn’t even in the same language family. There are also differences in national character: The stereotype is that the Estonians are too reserved, the Lithuanians too emotional and the Latvians somewhere in between.
Latvia and Estonia do share Lutheranism, the predominant religion in both countries. But Lithuanians are Catholic, and, as a rule, tend to be more religious.
As they take somewhat different social and economic paths, Balts spend a surprising amount of time ignoring each other. Most would be hard pressed to name a single cultural figure from one of the other Baltics, whereas they could name scores from Sweden or even Russia.

Island Nations

If you’re living here for extended periods, there are times when the Baltic states can feel like island nations. Surrounded by the Baltic Sea to the West and to the East by Russia, you can occasionally have the sense of being stranded. If only you could hop in a car for a quick drive to Western Europe. But despite a growing range of ferries and airlines servicing the region, getting out of the Baltics by car still poses serious problems. The border is one of them. While all three Baltic governments have pledged to improve inter-Baltic borders, crossing them can still take time.
As the three Baltics have opened up to the West, the sense of isolation has, in other ways, dramatically lessened. In the past, there was a tendency of Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians to look inward and disregard the world outside. To outsiders, this could also sometimes add to a feeling of being shut off. But as contact with the outside world increases, Baltic perspectives are broadening. These changing attitudes are also helping to make these countries more enjoyable places to live, work and visit.

We’re No. 1?

All three Baltic capitals still have aspirations of becoming the premier Baltic city, the place where foreign investors just have to be, the Baltic Hong Kong, the Paris of the North—in short, the Baltic city.

So far, Riga and Tallinn probably have the most credible claims to being the most important business and financial centers of the Baltics. (Whether you say Riga or Tallinn is the No. 1 city tends to depend, not surprisingly, on whether you live in Riga or in Tallinn. Rigans say it’s obvious that Riga’s No. 1, and Tallinners say it’s obvious Tallinn is.) As a result of its less-favorable geographic location, Vilnius may be a longer shot in this emerging battle of the Baltic cities. It too, however, has dreams of becoming the regional powerhouse. The improving Lithuanian economy and the increasing importance of Poland certainly bodes well for Vilnius.
Most bets, however, are still on Riga or Tallinn. Riga’s big trump card is that it is centrally located, and also that it is the largest, most cosmopolitan of the three Baltic capitals. Tallinn’s pluses include its close links to Scandinavia and its generally sophisticated Western outlook.

Baltica

The first recorded use of the word Baltic was by 11th century German chronicler Adamus Bremen, who, writing in Latin, referred to Mare Balticum, the Baltic Sea. One version is that he got the term from the Danish word for belt, bælte—as in the belt-like shape of the sea itself. Another theory is that Baltic derives from the Prussian word for land-locked bay, balt. Others say Baltic is from the Lithuanian word baltas, or white—as in the white, wind-swept sea.

Tidbits

The tradition of Christmas trees may have originated in the Baltics, say many Baltic historians. Journals from Riga in the early 1500s mention the practice of local merchants decorating fir trees on Christmas Eve, then setting the trees alight after a festive meal. Chronicles from Estonia also describe how German knights in Tallinn would carry a tree to the Town Hall Square, draping it with colored paper and fitting it with candles. Only later, say many historians, did the knights introduce the trees to their German homeland, from which the tradition spread to the rest of the world.

All three regional languages, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian, had no single standardized form until the early half of this century. In each country, there were at least two or three different dialects spoken. The High West Lithuanian dialect was declared the official language in 1918, and the North Estonian dialect was declared standard Estonian by 1914. In Latvia, the process of harmonizing the different dialects went on into the 1920s; the Latvian in the Latgale region is still distinct from standard Latvian. Estonians and Latvians also tried to purge their languages of German words, while Lithuanians tried to rid their language of Polish words.

In antiquity this region was known as the Amber Coast—so described by the Greek poet Homer after the golden translucent resin found off Baltic shores. Virtually all amber came from the Baltics and, via trading routes, arrived in Greece by 2000 B.C. It’s the only jewel mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey: “the cunning rascal came to my father’s home with a golden necklace strung at intervals with amber beads.” Some Baltic amber has even been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs; treasure found with King Tut included an amber necklace.

So thick were forests in this region 1000 years ago, it is said a squirrel could hop from tree to tree from the shores of the Baltic to Moscow. About half of the area in the Baltic states is still forested.

Twenty things about life under Soviet rule that have become distant memories in the Baltic states:

1. KGB goons
2. Soviet troops in every nook and cranny of the region
3. Lines, lines and more lines
4. Rubles
5. Communist flags
6. Statues of Lenin
7. Rampant shortages of everything from bananas to toilet paper
8. Locked restaurant doors, and portly, ill-tempered doormen yelling at you to go away
9. Restricted zones, including certain cities and most coastal areas
10. State censorship boards
11. Outbound flights all connecting through Moscow
12. Virtually all ethnic-Russian police forces—the aptly named militia
13. Soviet war veterans with rights to cut food lines
14. Mikhail Gorbachev
15. Searchlights along the shore meant to prevent escape to the West
16. Beaches strewn with barbed wire
17. May Day parades
18. Mandatory exit visas for locals
19. Russian military planes regularly buzzing major Baltic cities
20. Communism

Five things the Baltic states have in common:
1. Mistrust of Russia: After nearly ten years free of Moscow’s grip, all three Baltics still hold a grudge. Getting over suspicions about their eastern neighbor will take decades.

2. Faith in the West: The West is best, or so many Balts still firmly believe. They want into NATO and the EU so badly they can taste it.

3. History: The most important similarity history-wise was the 50 years spent under Soviet rule. A Soviet thread, from ungodly apartment blocks to various Soviet habits, still runs through all three nations.

4. Love of Nature: Balts share a closeness to the land, especially forests. This is also evident in a similar sense of taste; most Balts tend to prefer low-key, earthy colors.

5. Stubbornness: One of the enduring qualities of all three Baltic peoples over the centuries has been a staunch refusal to submit to foreign occupations, of which there have been many. Occupation and passive resistance has helped foster in all three peoples a remarkable stubbornness, a characteristic which sometimes does and sometimes does not work in their favor.

Five things the Baltic states DON’T have in common:
1. Languages: All three national languages are different. Lithuanian and Latvian are related, but Estonian isn’t even in the same language family.

2. Each other: For all the proclamations about joint Baltic cooperation, Balts spend a surprising amount of time ignoring each other. If asked, most Balts would be hard pressed to name a single cultural figure from one of the other Baltics, whereas they could probably name many from Russia or Sweden.

3. History: They share the Soviet occupation in common, but beyond that, their histories have been varied, especially Lithuania’s.

4. Orientation: All three nations tend to look to and be influenced by different regions. Estonians have the best links with Finland and Scandinavia; the Latvians, with the Germans and to a lesser degree with the Scandinavians; and the Lithuanians with the Poles, the rest of Central Europe and also the Americans.

5. Religion: Latvia and Estonia do share Lutheranism, the predominant religion in both countries. But Lithuanians are Catholic, and, as a rule, they also tend to be more religious.