ABSTRACT
In 1990, the Baltic republics declared their independence from the Soviet Union, which was followed, after the failed putsch in Moscow in August 1991, by their formal recognition by the Russian Federation and the UNO. The Baltic path to independence can be interpreted as the realisation of nationalistic aims in the moment of weakness of the Soviet empire. The purpose of this chapter is to define what may be called 'national identities' in the Baltic countries. Summing up, the problem of national identities in the Baltic countries seems to be complex, but there are certain constants notwithstanding all historical events and formations of national societies. Despite the fact that there is no clear-cut 'Baltic identity', some common tracks in the narration of the historical selves of the Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians are obvious. Alien rule and foreign policy, above all involving Russia, have served as a background to a negative identification.
