Events in May 1972 in the eyes of witnesses

Romas Kalanta’s self-immolation on the 14'1' o f May, 1972 and protest demonstrations in the city o f Kaunas showed that a part of Lithuanian society is ready to defend their civil and political rights even by taking drastic measures. While the strikes in Western Europe in the 6-8’1' decades o f the 20'1' century had social and economical background, the protest actions in Eastern Europe were directed against the Soviet regime and total control o f public and private life. During the 6-8'1' decades the climate o f opposition in Lithuania rose from underground organisations, the Catholic Church, and separate individuals. R. Kalanta was described as a calm, peaceful, slow, and incommunicative person with relation to others. He was interested in sports, music, and hippie movement. A few years before the suicide it came to light that he was disenchanted with life and existence in such society. The prohibition to take part in R. Kalanta’s funeral triggered the discontent o f young people, which grew into the protest demonstrations on the 18-19'1' o f May. Lithuanian people had different points o f view concerning the events in Kaunas in 1972: some treated R. Kalanta’s act as a suicide because o f unhappy love, others thought it to be the consequence o f some mental disease, still others stated it was a political demonstration against the Soviet regime. During the national revival of Lithuania it was declared that R. Kalanta’s suicide was committed under political motives. A psychiatric - psychological committee set up in 1989 confirmed that the youth wasn’t mentally ill and his self-immolation could be a form of protest against political and personal restraints