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The revolution in the Eastern Bloc countries from 1989 to 1991 fundamentally changed the world. But how did the once mighty power structure collapse in such a short space of time? For the first time, a documentary sheds light on the role of the media. What did they really contribute to the disappearance of the Iron Curtain?
January 13, 1991: A peaceful demonstration in Vilnius demands freedom for Lithuania. Suddenly, a Soviet tank advances into the middle of the crowd. Four people die. That night, satellites transport these moving images into the living rooms of millions of viewers around the world. The television images became the most powerful weapon the Lithuanians had to defend their freedom. The East Germans, Romanians, Hungarians and Poles had used satellite technology in a similar way from 1989 onwards, which became the cause and companion of the huge upheaval in the Eastern Bloc.