Romas Kalanta
Romas Kalanta | |
---|---|
Lithuanian SSR | |
Died | 14 May 1972 Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR | (aged 19)
Cause of death | Self-immolation |
Monuments | Memorial in Kaunas |
Occupation | Factory worker |
Era | Second Soviet occupation of Lithuania |
Known for | 1972 self-immolation |
Movement | Anti-communism |
Awards | Order of the Cross of Vytis |
Romas Kalanta (22 February 1953 – 14 May 1972) was a 19-year-old
Kalanta became a symbol of the Lithuanian resistance throughout the 1970s and 1980s.[3] In 2000, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Cross of Vytis.
Life and death
Kalanta was religious; in a school essay he indicated that he would like to become a
At noon on 14 May 1972, Kalanta poured three litres of petroleum on himself and set himself on fire in the square adjoining the
After his death, rumours spread that a few of his classmates had formed a patriot group, and that they had held a lottery to determine which of them would have to carry out the mission.
Riots and aftermath
The Soviet government tried to cover up the event, but its witnesses spread the news by word of mouth. On 18 May, the Soviet authorities hastened Kalanta's burial by several hours to prevent publicity.
The public agitation was felt throughout 1972 and 1973 as the KGB registered various anti-Soviet incidents to even greater degrees.[2] Lithuania recorded 13 other suicides by fire in 1972, including 24-year-old V. Stonys in Varėna on 29 May, 60-year-old A. Andriuškevičius in Kaunas on 3 June, 62-year-old Zališauskas on 10 June, and 40-year-old Juozapas Baracevičius in Šiauliai on 22 June.[2][8]
References
- ISBN 0-520-08228-1.
- ^ a b c d Anušauskas, Arvydas (2003). "KGB reakcija į 1972 m. įvykius". Genocidas Ir Rezistencija (in Lithuanian). 1 (13).
- ISBN 978-1-4165-0554-9.
- ^ a b c d Kamiński, Łukasz (20 January 2010). "Gyvieji fakelai" (in Lithuanian). Bernardinai.lt. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- ISBN 0-8133-1839-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-77000-2.
- ^ Smith, Hedrick (28 May 1972). "Some Cracks in the Kremlin Wall". The New York Times: E2.
- ISSN 0002-208X.