July 23rd 2010, Shanghaiexpo and European Union of Shanghai "Lithuania Gets Medieval for National Day"  write how swords and spears clashed inside the Lithuania pavilion to celebrate the country’s Expo national day at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, as the pavilion brought in a troupe of fifteenth century nights to reenact the Battle of Grunwald, one of the most famous and pivotal battles in European and Lithuanian history, to mark both the occasion and the battle’s 600th anniversary.

With crowds inside the pavilion aghast at the live fighting with real weapons, the actors performed several times throughout the afternoons from July 13 – 20, in addition to the events intersecting with the country’s July 15 Expo day. On July 15, 1410 the armies of both Lithuania and Poland, and the Teutonic Knights, a crusading military order during the Middle Ages originally formed as a German Roman Catholic religious group to aid Catholics on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, collided near the town of Grunwald in Poland.  The victory by both Lithuania and Poland crushed the Teutonic Knights, who were forced to pay a heavy indemnity in silver from which they never recovered, and left the order with few forces to defend their remaining territories, ultimately shifting power in Europe.

Lithuania celebrates the Battle of Grunwald with an annual reenactment of the fighting. To mark this year’s 600th anniversary in Lithuania, more than 2,000 knights reenacted the battle, attracting about 120,000 spectators from all over Europe. In addition to the daily battles, the Lithuania pavilion brought in a restored collection of historic clothing and jewelry to be shown in Shanghai with the aim of educating Chinese on ancient Lithuanian customs and tools.  For the Expo, every country represented inside the park is given a designated national day. Lithuania’s true national day is celebrated February 16.