Lietuva Lithuania

A massive, dual-language wall map of Lithuanian from the early 1970s – a critical period for the Soviet republic.

This large and brightly colored wall map offers an authoritative political overview of Lithuania. The nation’s transportation network, major geographic features, and topography is all shown in a relatively straightforward fashion. The political boundaries are a bit more complicated, with historical frontiers and Soviet borders noted according to the legend in the lower left. Nearby, a small inset outlines the three Baltic states.

The map, printed by Rand McNally, was copyrighted and published in 1973 by the Lithuanian Educational Council of the U.S.A. It was an important tool of the Lithuanian diaspora, intended to educate those refugees and their descendants who fled the Communist regime. The year prior to issue, Romas Kalanta self-immolated in Kaunas in protest against Soviet rule – an important flashpoint in national dissent and global interest.