ORIGINS of the organization
Feb 21, 1981. A Lithuanian-7 Exploratory Founding group funded $4K, then a second round of funding donors raised a total of $11L seed money to hire The Hannaford Company, formerly Deaver & Hannaford (RReagans PR Co. 1981).
LITHUANIAN FOUNDING MEMBERS: Anthony Mazeika, Danute Barauskas, Saulius Damusis, Juozas Kojelis, Jonas Matulaitis, Algis Raulinaitis, and Leonard Valiukas
This original Founding group added on a second round of Estonian and Latvian members.
ESTONIAN: Avo Piirisild, Viivi Piirisild, Heino Nurmberg, and Maie Nurmberg
LATVIAN: Dr. Ansis Blakis, Karlis Kalejs, and Valdis Pavlovskis
Zibute Nida Brinkis Alex (Foundation Legal Affairs) set up the nonprofit tax exempt charitable status.
Efforts that supported major ACHIEVEMENTS
July 1981. Baltic American leaders in California came together to form the Baltic American Freedom League (BAFL) to raise American consciousness about Baltic issues and to carry out specific and concrete goals and projects to help achieve freedom for the Soviet occupied Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Estonia.
February/March 1982. The first issue of the Baltic Bulletin is published.
April 1982. BAFL initiated a Congressional resolution asking President Reagan to designate
June 14, 1982 as Baltic Freedom Day – reiterating the U.S. non-recognition of the forcible and illegal annexation of the Baltic Republics into the U.S.S.R. BAFL continued to successfully work with Congress and the Administration to have the President annually issue a Baltic Freedom Day Proclamation until the Baltic countries regained their independence in 1991.
1983. The 1983 Proclamation was signed by the President in a public ceremony in the presence of key Congressional leaders and 240 leaders of the Baltic American community.
1982. First annual BAFL Banquet and Human Rights Conference was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Los Angeles, bringing together Baltic Americans in California and elsewhere in the country.
Summer 1982. BAFL participated in a nationwide protest. Hundreds of Baltic Americans in major U.S. cities protested the use of slave labor in the construction of a Soviet pipeline and West European collaboration.
July 1983. BAFL presented a memorandum to the Director of European and Soviet Affairs of the National Security Council with recommendations for President Reagan regarding issues of importance to the Baltic American community and the Baltic nations. The recommendations stated that regaining the independence of the Baltic nations be a pro-active objective of the United States, that the non-recognition policy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic countries be continued and that the President inform the member nations of the United Nations of the U.S. policy for maintaining the non-recognition policy.
On July 29, the 61st anniversary of the de jure recognition by the U.S. of the Baltic countries, President Ronald Reagan sent the letter to every member of the United Nations.
May 7, 1984. BAFL hosted the “Ban the Soviets Coalition” conference at the Estonian House in Los Angeles.
1985. BAFL representatives attended a White House briefing with John Matlock of the National Security Council to discuss issues of concern to the Baltic American community.
1986. BAFL developed California school curriculum to include instruction on the history ofillegal annexation of the Baltic States.
October 1986. His Excellency, Bishop Julijonas Steponavicius, Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Vilnius, Lithuania, accepted the BAFL 1986 Baltic Freedom Award.
June 14, 1987. This date was proclaimed Baltic Freedom Day by President Ronald Reagan. A proclamation is signed at the White House.
Fall 1989. BAFL presented a memorandum to the State Department and White House urging the U.S. to take a pro-active role in support of self-determination and the restoration of independence of the Baltic states. This action set the stage for a private White House meeting on April 4, 1990 with President George H. Bush and the heads of leading Baltic American organizations to discuss U.S. policy and the rapidly changing events in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, followed by a press conference, highlights of which were broadcast nationwide and throughout Europe.
April 1990. BAFL President Tony Mazeika met with President George H. W. Bush at the White House to advocate for formal recognition of the democratically elected Vytautas Landsbergis government, since the United States never recognized the illegal Soviet rule and forced incorporation. Mari-Ann Kellam of the Estonian American National Council, Ojars Kalnins and Valdis Pavlovskis of the American Latvian Association and Asta Banionis of the Lithuanian American Council, also represented their respective communities.
January 13, 1991. BAFL and other organizations held demonstrations in Washington, D.C. in early January. Soviet tanks rolled into Vilnius, Lithuania, late evening on January 13th. Since
it was after hours in the U.S., Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis (Chairman of the Supreme Council of Lithuania) called Angele Nelsas to state their dire situation, who in turn called Congressman Chris Cox’s personal phone number, relaying Prof. Landsbergis’ urgent message to contact the U.S. President and Administration. In addition, BAFL actively worked on the Helms Resolution and organizing a meeting with President Bush.
July 1991. The Kyl-Pressler amendment passed, providing placing conditions on any assistance towards the Soviet Union.
1991. Recognition of three Baltic countries re-established by the United States led to a new relationship with the United States and started the process of their full integration into Europe and full relations with the United States.
1992. BAFL advocates for legislation the removal of Russian forces from the Baltic countries. https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/house-resolution/32/text
1992-1995. BAFL Board Member Valdis Pavlovskis, former U.S. Marine officer, returns to Latvia to serve as the Deputy Minister of Defense, Minister of Defense and member of the Latvian parliament.
1994. BAFL advocates for inclusion of the Baltic states into the NATO Participation Act while Baltic governments work closely to reform their militaries. BAFL pushed for increased FMF and IMET assistance to the Baltic states, providing extensive funding and training to modernize their militaries.
February 1997. Responding to a request from BAFL, Representative John Shimkus organized a Baltic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives that plays an important role in supporting U.S.-Baltic relations in the House.
1998. BAFL works with Congress on the next round of NATO enlargement by increasing coalition of support within Congress under the Partnership for Peace program.
1999-2000. BAFL continues work regarding Baltic membership in NATO, U.S. economic and military assistance to the Baltics, implementation of the U.S. Baltic Charter, nullification of the Hitler-Stalin Pact of 1939 and demilitarization of Koenigsberg.
2002. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are invited to join NATO at the Prague Summit in November, 2002. The Freedom Consolidation Act confirms U.S. commitment to NATO enlargement.
2004. The Senate votes to approve the accession of the Baltic countries into NATO, signed into law by President Bush on June 10, 2002.
2005. Due to combined efforts of BAFL and other Baltic organizations, the Senate passed SCR35 and the House of Representatives unanimously adopted H.R. 128 stating that it is the sense of Congress that the Government of the Russian Federation should issue a clear and unambiguous statement of admission and condemnation of the illegal occupation and annexation by the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1991 of the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
2008. BAFL and other Baltic organizations persuade the U.S, to expand the Visa Waiver Program to include the Baltic countries, allowing citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to travel to the U.S. without obtaining visas.
August 23, 2009. BAFL, along with other Baltic Americans, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way in Washington, D.C.
March 12, 2011. BAFL adopted a resolution commemorating its 30th founding anniversary and its many significant accomplishments to help uphold and defend the freedom and independence of the Baltic countries.
2012. BAFL sought cosponsors for the Magnitsky Act, H.R. 4405 and S.1039, to legislate visa and economic sanctions against human rights abusers in Russia in response to the assassination of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky whose investigation of the largest fraud in Russian history by government officials led to his unjust imprisonment and death.
2013, 2017. BAFL urged passage of Resolutions in Congress to establish August 23rd as an annual day of remembrance (Black Ribbon Day) for victims of Soviet communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes in Europe leading to these proclamations being signed into law.
2015. BAFL tasked members to ask for permanent NATO military bases in the Baltics.
2015. BAFL began a campaign to prevent the sale of French Mistral class warships to Russia, after Russia seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. France cancelled the sale in 2015.
2016. BAFL raised the case for consideration at the Warsaw NATO Summit of the need for an additional NATO brigade to be deployed permanently on the Polish-Lithuanian border or placement of a naval amphibious task force on the Baltic Sea, expressed the need for permanent bases in Germany and Italy and spoke against the policy of rotation of units.
2023. Introduction of a NATO resolution in the U.S. Senate to provide support the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius. S. Res. 251 and NATO amendment by Senators Rubio and Graham in the National Defense Authorization Act.
April 2024. BAFL held a banquet in Los Angeles, featuring the foreign chairmen of the parliamentary Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Committees, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of NATO membership, and the 35th anniversary of the Baltic Way.
2022-2024. BAFL board members attended the Baltic Summit in Washington, D.C. to support the sovereignty of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and multiple Ukraine Action Summits to show solidarity with Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Fall 2024. BAFL issues celebrates the 100th issue of their newsletter, Baltic Bulletin.
Looking toward the FUTURE
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational, and non-partisan organization, BAFL carries out its activities through public discussions and dissemination of information. BAFL holds Human Rights conferences, has meetings with government and elected officials, and supports educational campaigns aimed around academic and political institutions. It also publishes the Baltic Caucus Update, Baltic Bulletin, and Call to Action.
BAFL encourages the next generation of Baltic Americans and friends to embrace the ongoing need to continue its cultural and educational efforts in the United States. These efforts are supported by growing social media presence with new media channels on YouTube (@Baltcast), Facebook (BAFL), and X (x.com/balticfreedom), and by continuing to expand its website (bafl.com).
By Current and past BAFL board members
