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Victory in Europe Day

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Victory in Europe Day
Winston Churchillwaving to the crowds inWhitehallon 8 May celebrating the end of the war, showing the V of Victory
Also called
  • VE Day
  • V-E Day
Observed by
European states
Full listsee below
TypeInternational
SignificanceEnd of World War II in Europe
Date8 May
FrequencyAnnual
First time8 May 1945;79 years ago(8 May 1945)
Related toVictory over Japan Day,Victory Day (9 May)andEurope Day

Victory in Europe Dayis the day celebrating the formal acceptance by theAllies of World War IIofGermany's unconditional surrenderofits armed forceson Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the officialend of World War II in Europein theEastern Front,with the last known shots fired on 11 May.

Russiaand some formerSovietcountriescelebrate on 9 May,as Germany's unconditional surrender entered into force at 23:01 on 8 MayCentral European Summer Time;this corresponded with 00:01 on 9 May inMoscow Time.

Several countries observepublic holidayson the day each year, also called Victory Over Fascism Day, Liberation Day, or Victory Day. In the UK it is often abbreviated toVE Day,a term which existed as early as September 1944,[1]in anticipation of victory.

History

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Crowds gathering in celebration atPiccadilly Circus,London during VE Day on 8 May 1945
Field MarshalWilhelm Keitelsigning the final surrender terms on 8 May 1945 in Berlin
Final positions of theAlliedarmies, May 1945
United States military policemenreading about the German surrender in the newspaperStars and Stripes

Adolf Hitler,theNazi leader,hadcommitted suicide on 30 Aprilduring theBattle of Berlin,and Germany's surrender was authorised by his successor,ReichspräsidentKarl Dönitz.The administration headed by Dönitz was known as theFlensburg Government.The act of military surrender was first signed at 02:41 on 7 May inSHAEFHQ atReims,[2]and a slightly modified document, considered the definitiveGerman Instrument of Surrender,was signed on 8 May 1945 inKarlshorst,Berlin at 22:43 local time.

The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23.01 hours Central European time on 8 May 1945...

— German Instrument of Surrender,Article 2,[citation needed]

Upon the defeat of Germany, celebrations erupted throughout theWestern world,especially in the United Kingdom, in North America and in USSR. More than one million people celebrated in the streets throughout the UK to mark the end of the European part of the war. In London, crowds massed inTrafalgar Squareand upthe MalltoBuckingham Palace,where KingGeorge VIand QueenElizabeth,accompanied by their daughters andPrime MinisterWinston Churchill,appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds. Churchill went from the palace toWhitehall,where he addressed another large crowd:[3]

God bless you all. This is your victory. In our long history, we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best.

Celebrations in London on 8 May 1945
Celebrations inTorontoon 8 May 1945

Churchill askedErnest Bevinto come forward and share the applause. Bevin said, "No, Winston, this is your day", and proceeded to conduct the people in the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow".[3]Later, PrincessElizabeth(the future Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister PrincessMargaretwere allowed to wander incognito among the crowds and take part in the celebrations.[4]The 2015 filmA Royal Night Outwas inspired by Elizabeth and Margaret mingling with the public that night.[citation needed]

In the United States, the event coincided with PresidentHarry S. Truman's 61st birthday.[5]He dedicated the victory to the memory of his predecessor,Franklin D. Roosevelt,who had died of a cerebral hemorrhage less than a month earlier, on 12 April.[6]Flags remained athalf-stafffor the remainder of the 30-day mourning period.[7][8]Truman said of dedicating the victory to Roosevelt's memory and keeping the flags at half-staff that his only wish was "that Franklin D. Roosevelt had lived to witness this day".[6]Later that day, Truman said that the victory made it his most enjoyable birthday.[5]Great celebrations took place in many American cities, especially inNew York'sTimes Square.[9]

Tempering the jubilation somewhat, both Churchill and Truman pointed out that the war against Japan had not yet been won. In his radio broadcast at 15:00 on 8 May, Churchill told theBritish people,"We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing (as Japan) remains unsubdued".[10][11]In America, Truman broadcast at 09:00 and said it was "a victory only half won".[12]

On the same day in 1945,MuslimsinFrench Algeriacelebrating the end of the war (of which some were also peacefully protesting forindependence) became the targets ofviolence and massacresbycolonialauthorities andpied-noirsettler militias, which would last until 26 June 1945.[13][14][15]While details of the killings were largely overlooked inmetropolitan France,the impact on the Algerian Muslim population was traumatic, especially on the large numbers of Muslim soldiers in theFrench Armywho were then returning from the war in Europe.[16]Nine years later, theAlgerian Warbegan, leading to independence from France inMarch 1962.[17]In February 2005, Hubert Colin de Verdière,France's ambassador to Algeria,formally apologized for the massacre, calling it an "inexcusable tragedy".[18][19]

National celebrations

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VE Day is celebrated across European nations as public holidays and national observances.

Austria

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The Festival of Joy is an Austrian event held in honor of VE Day. TheAustrian Mauthausen Committee(MKÖ) has organised the Festival of Joy since 2013, in cooperation with theAustrian Governmentand theCity of Vienna.The festival is held annually onHeldenplatz.[20]

On the eve of the diamond jubilee in 2020,Russian PresidentVladimir Putin,at the request of ChancellorSebastian Kurz,gave a live address broadcast on Austrian TV channelORF.[21]

France

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France celebrates VE Day on 8 May, being a national andpublic holiday.Orléanssimultaneously celebrates both VE Day and the anniversary of theSiege of Orléansbeing lifted on this date by French forces led byJoan of Arcduring theHundred Years War.[22]

Germany

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Events inBerlinoccur on 8 May to commemorate those who fought against Nazism in theGerman Resistanceand died in World War II. In 2020, a regional holiday in Berlin occurred on 8 May to mark the 75th anniversary of surrender.[23]East Germanycelebrated 8 May as itsTag der Befreiung(Day of Liberation), first celebrated underWalter Ulbricht's government in 1950 and repeated annually until thefall of communism.[24]Between 1975 and 1990, it wasTag des Sieges(Victory Day).[citation needed]

Poland

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8 May is known in Poland as "Narodowy Dzień Zwycięstwa" (National Victory Day).Polandofficially recognised 9 May from 1945 until 2014, and on 24 April 2015, Poland officially recognised National Victory Day.[25]On 8 May 1945, a meeting of the Council of Ministers was held, debating whether to establish the holiday on 8 May (proposed byMarshalMichał Rola-Żymierski) or 10 May (proposed by the government).[26]Finally, in Poland, the National Day of Victory and Freedom was established on 9 May by decree.

From 1946 to 1989, it was celebrated with Russian traditions, as Poland was asocialist stateat the time. The main celebrations were carried out at Plac Zwycięstwa orPlac DefiladinWarsaw(most notably in1985).

After 1990 and thefall of the Soviet Union,no official ceremonies were organized; however, many cities and military units together with local governments organized their own festivities. TheRussian minority in Polandcontinues to celebrate 9 May traditions to this date. At the end of March 2015, due to the upcoming 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, the President of the Institute of National Remembrance Łukasz Kamiński sent a letter to theMarshal of the Sejmrequesting a change from 9 to 8 May.[27]On 24 April, theSejmadopted the Act on National Victory Day to be celebrated on 8 May, at the same time abolishing the National Day of Victory and Freedom celebrated on 9 May.[28]

United Kingdom

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In the United Kingdom, VE Day is not an annual public holiday. In 1995 and 2020, the bank holiday was moved from the preceding Monday to 8 May to commemorate the 50th and 75th anniversaries of VE Day, respectively.[29][30]

Commemorative events

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List of associated holidays

[edit]
Country Holiday name Date Type Notes
Armenia Victory and Peace Day 9 May National public [42]
Shushi Liberation Day 8 May National public It is celebrated jointly with VE Day
Azerbaijan Victory Day 9 May National public [42]
Bailiwick of Guernsey Liberation Day,Guernsey 9 May Regional public BritishChannel Islandshave threeLiberation Days:9 May inJerseyandGuernsey;[43]10 May inSark;[44]and 16 May inAlderney
Liberation Day,Sark 10 May Regional public [44]
Liberation Day,Alderney 16 May Regional public [43]
Belarus Victory Day 9 May National public [45]
Bosnia and Herzegovina Victory Day 9 May Regional public Public holiday only inRepublika Srpskabut celebrated across the nation[46]
Czech Republic Victory Day 8 May National public as "Den vítězství"
Estonia Remembrance Day 8 May National commemorative Not a public holiday; commemorative services are held during the day.[47]
Georgia Victory over Fascism Day 9 May National public As "ფაშიზმზე გამარჯვების დღე" (Victory over Fascism Day)[48][49]
Israel VE Day 9 May National commemorative Considered a national day of remembrance.[50]
Italy Liberation Day 25 April National public Public holiday.[51]
Jersey Liberation Day 9 May Regional public [52]
Kazakhstan Victory Day 9 May National public [53]
Kyrgyzstan Victory Day 9 May National public [42]
Latvia Remembrance Day 8 May National commemorative AsNacisma sagrāves un Otrā pasaules kara upuru piemiņas diena(The Crushing of Nazism and Commemoration Day of Victims of World War II). Not a public holiday; commemorative services are held during the day.[54]
Lithuania Remembrance Day 8 May National commemorative AsAntrojo pasaulinio karo aukų atminimo diena(Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the World War II).[55]Not a public holiday; commemorative services are held by the President and other officials.
Moldova Victory Day 9 May National public [42][56]
Netherlands Liberation Day 5 May National commemorative as "Bevrijdingsdag"(Liberation Day), a public holiday held once every year on 5 May.[57]
Denmark Liberation Day 5 May National commemorative as "Befrielsesdag"(Liberation Day), an officialflag flying day,not a public holiday.[58]
Norway Liberation Day 8 May National commemorative as "Frigjøringsdagen"(Liberation Day) andThe National Veterans Day,an officialflag flying day,not a public holiday.[59]
Russia Victory Day 9 May National public as "День Победы" (Victory Day)[60][61]
Serbia Victory Day 9 May National public as "Дан победе"/"Dan pobede"(Victory Day), a public working holiday.[62][63]
Slovakia Victory over Fascism Day 8 May National public as "Deň víťazstva nad fašizmom"[64]
Tajikistan Victory Day 9 May National public [42]
Turkmenistan Day of Remembrance of National Heroes of Turkmenistan in the 1941–1945 World War 9 May National public [65]
Ukraine Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939 – 1945 8 May National public [66]
Uzbekistan Day of Remembrance and Honour 9 May National public [67]Known as "День Памяти и Почестей"; before 1999, it was known as "Галаба куни" or "День победы" (Victory Day).[citation needed]

Soviet Victory Day

[edit]
Main article:Victory Day (9 May)

The instrument of surrender signed 7 May 1945 stipulated that all hostilities must cease at 23:01 (CET), 8 May 1945. Since that point in time would be on 9 May in local time in theSoviet Union,most Soviet states including Russia celebratedVictory Dayon 9 May.[68][69]

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See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^Harper, Douglas."VE Day".Online Etymology Dictionary.Retrieved12 March2016.
  2. ^Hamilton, Charles (1996).Leaders & Personalities of the Third Reich, Vol. 2.San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing. pp. 285, 286.ISBN978-0-912138-66-4.
  3. ^abHermiston 2016,p. 355.
  4. ^Barr, Sabrina (8 May 2020)."How Princess Elizabeth celebrated VE Day".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2022.Retrieved11 May2020.
  5. ^ab"Truman Marks Birthday".The New York Times.9 May 1945. p. 6.
  6. ^ab"Victory Wreath From Truman Is Laid On Hyde Park Grave of War President".New York Times.Associated Press. 9 May 1945. p. 15.
  7. ^"Army Extends Mourning Period".New York Times.Associated Press. 12 May 1945. p. 13.
  8. ^United Press (15 May 1945). "30 Days of Mourning For Roosevelt Ended".New York Times.p. 4.
  9. ^Telfer 2015,p. 75.
  10. ^Telfer 2015,p. 33.
  11. ^Hermiston 2016,p. 356.
  12. ^Telfer 2015,p. 76.
  13. ^Morgan, Ted(31 January 2006).My Battle of Algiers.HarperCollins. p.17.ISBN978-0-06-085224-5.
  14. ^Horne, Alistair(1977).A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954–1962.New York: The Viking Press. p. 26.
  15. ^Peyroulou, Jean-Pierre (2009). "6. La mise en place d'un ordre subversif, le 9 mai 1945".Guelma, 1945: une subversion française dans l'Algérie coloniale.Paris: Éditions La Découverte.ISBN9782707154644.OCLC436981240.
  16. ^Porch, Douglas (1991).The French Foreign Legion.Macmillan. p. 569.ISBN978-0-333-58500-9.
  17. ^Edgar O'Ballance, pages 39 and 195 "The Algerian Insurrection 1954–62", Faber and Faber London 1867
  18. ^"Algeria Marks WWII Anniversary with Call for French Apology".VOA News.9 May 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 11 May 2005.Retrieved8 May2016.
  19. ^"France urged to admit 1945 massacre".Al Jazeera.8 May 2005.
  20. ^"Organizer | Festival of Joy | Day of liberation 8 May".festderfreude.at.Retrieved8 May2023.
  21. ^"Putin: Russia grateful to Austria for careful treatment of wartime burial sites".TASS.8 May 2020.Retrieved8 May2023.
  22. ^Marine, Protais (8 May 2021).France Bleu Orléans(ed.)."8 mai: le retour de la messe en l'honneur de Jeanne d'Arc à Orléans, malgré les polémiques"(in French).Retrieved26 May2021.
  23. ^Schereck, Sabine (8 May 2020)."Berlin marks end of WW2 with unprecedented holiday".BBC News.Retrieved8 May2020.
  24. ^"May 8, 1945: Total defeat or day of liberation? | DW | 5 May 2020".Deutsche Welle ( dw ).Retrieved8 May2020.
  25. ^"Mamy nowe święto państwowe. Po raz pierwszy obchodzimy Narodowy Dzień Zwycięstwa".TVN24.pl.Retrieved6 May2019.
  26. ^"Jak Moskwa narzuciła nam 9 maja jako Dzień Zwycięstwa i jak świętowaliśmy ten dzień tuż po wojnie | Szczęść Boże Stalinowi – strona 1 – Polityka.pl"(in Polish). polityka.pl. 9 May 2015.Retrieved22 November2017.
  27. ^"Informacja o działalności Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej Komisji Ścigania Zbrodni przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu w okresie 1 stycznia 2015 r. – 31 grudnia 2015 r., Warszawa 2016, s. 107 i 109"(PDF)(in Polish).Retrieved7 May2018.
  28. ^"Ustawa z dnia 24 kwietnia 2015 r. o ustanowieniu Narodowego Dnia Zwycięstwa".isap.sejm.gov.pl.
  29. ^Bowman, Verity; Hayes, Georgina (8 May 2020)."VE Day 2020: Britons celebrate 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day".The Telegraph– via telegraph.co.uk.
  30. ^"2020 May bank holiday will be moved to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day".GOV.UK.7 June 2019.Retrieved8 June2019.
  31. ^"8. květen – Den vítězství | Svátky Centrum.cz".svatky.centrum.cz.Retrieved7 May2020.
  32. ^"National Holidays in Czech Republic in 2020".Office Holidays.January 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
  33. ^"World War II Liberation Commemorations Culminate in Pilsen| U.S. Embassy in The Czech Republic".U.S. Embassy in The Czech Republic.7 May 2016.Retrieved5 May2020.
  34. ^Morning, Prague (5 May 2019)."Czechs Commemorate Anniversary of Prague Uprising".Prague Morning.Retrieved5 May2020.
  35. ^DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Czech and Slovak Republics: Czech and Slovak Republics.Penguin. 2013. p. 28.ISBN978-1-4654-1265-2.
  36. ^"Praha zažila vojenskou přehlídku, po 23 letech | Domov".Lidovky.cz(in Czech). 28 October 2008.Retrieved15 July2019.
  37. ^"Prahou má burácet velkolepá vojenská přehlídka".Novinky.cz.21 September 2016.Retrieved15 July2019.
  38. ^Anonymous (16 June 2016)."Europe Day".European Union.Retrieved8 May2020.
  39. ^"Baltic ambassadors snub Moscow victory day event".LRT.10 May 2021.Retrieved5 May2022.
  40. ^"Thousands mark Soviet Victory Day in Riga".Public Broadcasting of Latvia.9 May 2015.Retrieved9 May2015.
  41. ^"Crowds mark Soviet 'Victory Day' in Rīga".Public Broadcasting of Latvia.9 May 2018.Retrieved9 May2018.
  42. ^abcde"Victory Day around the world in 2020".Office Holidays.Retrieved7 May2020.
  43. ^ab"The History of Liberation Day in Guernsey".visitguernsey.
  44. ^ab"Sark celebrates Liberation Day".ITV News.10 May 2019.
  45. ^"National Holidays, Belarus | Belarus.by".belarus.by.Retrieved7 May2020.
  46. ^"Bosnia and Herzegovina Public Holidays 2019".PublicHolidays.eu.Retrieved7 May2020.
  47. ^"Statement by the Government of the Republic of Estonia".Government of the Republic of Estonia.
  48. ^"9 მაისი, როგორც ფაშიზმზე გამარჯვების დღე, საქართველოშიც აღინიშნა".რადიო თავისუფლება(in Georgian). 9 May 2003.Retrieved7 May2020.
  49. ^"National Holidays in Georgia in 2020".Office Holidays.January 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
  50. ^"Knesset Creates Victory in Europe Day".Knesset.Retrieved12 May2019.
  51. ^"Governo Italiano – Dipartimento per il Cerimoniale dello Stato".Italian Government.Retrieved10 May2021.
  52. ^Jersey, States of."Government of Jersey".gov.je.
  53. ^"National Holidays in Kazakhstan in 2020".Office Holidays.January 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
  54. ^"Latvia's National holidays and Remembrance days – MFA of Latvia".mfa.gov.lv.Archived fromthe originalon 17 November 2016.
  55. ^"Memorable dates and anniversaries – Genocid.lt".
  56. ^"Europe Day around the world in 2020".Office Holidays.Retrieved8 May2020.
  57. ^Bevrijdingsdag 5 meirijksoverheid.nl(in Dutch)
  58. ^Befrielsendanmarkshistorien.dk(in Danish)
  59. ^FrigjøringenStore norske leksikon(in Norwegian)
  60. ^"National Holidays in Russia in 2020".Office Holidays.January 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
  61. ^"Победа! 75 лет – официальный сайт".may9.ru.Retrieved7 May2020.
  62. ^"Europe Day in Serbia in 2020".Office Holidays.Retrieved7 May2020.
  63. ^"National and religious holidays in Serbia".minrzs.gov.rs(in Serbian).Retrieved30 April2022.
  64. ^"National Holidays in Slovakia in 2020".Office Holidays.January 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
  65. ^"TURKMENISTAN MARKS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE FALLEN IN WORLD WAR II | Turkmenistan.ru".turkmenistan.ru.Archived fromthe originalon 9 July 2021.Retrieved13 June2020.
  66. ^"Rada adopts law on Day of Remembrance, Victory over Nazism in Second World War".Interfax-Ukraine.Retrieved29 May2023.
  67. ^"Memorial Day in Uzbekistan in 2020".Office Holidays.Retrieved8 May2020.
  68. ^Earl F. Ziemke,1990, Washington DC, CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY, CHAPTER XV:The Victory Sealed Page 258 last 2 paragraphs
  69. ^Parfitt, Tom (9 May 2015)."Russia's Victory Day Parade marks new East-West divide".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved9 May2016.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Hermiston, Roger (2016).All Behind You, Winston – Churchill's Great Coalition, 1940–45.London: Aurum Press.ISBN978-17-81316-64-1.
  • Telfer, Kevin (2015).The Summer of '45.Islington: Aurum Press Ltd.ISBN978-17-81314-35-7.
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Media related toVE Dayat Wikimedia Commons

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