Preparations for the elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuania Soviet Socialist Republic began at the end of 1989. They were the first elections to the legislature in which opposition parties participated. The Communist Party of Lithuania had gained authority in the eyes of the people when it separated from the Communist Party of the USSR in 1989 and was a serious competitor to the reform movement Sajudis in the fight for votes. The Communist Party supported Lithuanian autonomy but was inclined against radical moves. The Sajudis campaign was informed by the need to win over Communist Party sympathisers and secure undecided voters.

A photograph by Zinas Kazenas was used for this Sajudis poster. It was taken during a meeting in Kaunas stadium. The central logo features an emblem, ‘Gediminas’ Tower’, used by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century. Gediminas’ Tower’ was also used to decorate the national flag during the inter-war Lithuanian Republic and was one of the symbols of post-war anti-Soviet resistance. When Sajudis was founded in 1988, it chose this device as its logo. The poster artist has modified the emblem, elongating the verticals into ‘voting’ hands. The raised hands of the historical emblem merge with those of the participants at the political meeting in a joint struggle ‘For Sajudis, for Lithuania’.

When the election campaign began, the Communist Party forbade the state printing houses from producing propaganda materials for Sajudis, causing major logistical difficulties for the opposition movement. They got around the problem by approaching smaller publishers and printers whose directors were more liberal. Finally, even employees of the printing houses controlled by the government began printing publications for Sajudis illegally at night. The poster was prepared for publication by drawing the emblem directly onto the colour photograph.