From its creation by King Mindaugas in 1253 as the Kingdom of Lithuania to the modern day, Lithuania has been at the centerpoint of European politics. Invaded by the Germans in World War II and annexed by the Soviets at the war_s end, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to proclaim its independence in 1990. Today, it remains strongly democratic and progressive, with thriving cities like its capital, Vilnius, but the land is still dotted with castles that harken back to stormier times.

Originally released by New Dimension Media, 2016. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on April 16, 2021.