Column in memory of the january events 1991

This is a column in memory of the January Events 1991, located in Vilties street. Author – sculptor Kęstutis Mickevičius. On the cut plane of the column a record is inscribed: „Here citizens of Klaipėda gathered to defend freedom of Lithuania“. The memorial mark was built in 2011.      

During the January Events 1991 it has been attempted to perform coup d‘etat using armed forces of USSR, internal army of Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania and Committee for State Security of the Soviet Union (KGB) in order to restore the political power of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) in the Republic of Lithuania.  

The January Events 1991 were attended by a large part of Lithuania‘s residents. The citizens of the Republic of Lithuania prevented country from execution of coup d‘etat defending its legally elected government and independence of the Republic of Lithuania. As a result of Soviet military actions 14 civilians were killed and around 1000 injured. However Lithuania, having lost control of several objects (mostly – the media) but defended the Supreme Council, was celebrating the victory.