Europe commemorates VE Day

Daily News Article   —   Posted on May 10, 2013

(from China Daily) – People from across Europe commemorated on Wednesday in various ways the 68th Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) that marks the end of the Second World War (WWII) in Europe.

VE Day on May 8 is marked by over 20 countries around the world as a formal celebration of the Allies’ victory following the Nazi surrender in 1945.

VE Day is a public holiday in Europe. Russia celebrates the victory on May 9.

In France, President Francois Hollande chaired Wednesday’s ceremonies in Paris, joined by visiting Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski. They inspected French troops and rekindled the flame together at the tomb of the unknown soldier under the Arc de Triomphe.

After laying a wreath at the foot of General de Gaulle’s statue, President Hollande, under the escort of the Republican Guard, came to greet audiences along The Champs-Elysees before meeting his ministers who welcomed him at the Place de l’Etoile (Star Square).

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, along with some government members and representatives from other countries attended the ceremony. …

On Wednesday Poland, [which suffered heavy losses] during WWII, also celebrated the 68th Victory in Europe Day in front of the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Warsaw.

Polish governmental officials, representatives of war veterans from the war, and foreign ambassadors from the Allied countries in Warsaw attended the ceremony and presented flowers to the Tomb of Unknown Soldier.

According to the research by the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), between 5.6 and 5.8 million Poles died in Poland during the war.

“The war was over 68 years ago, it is history now, and history should be respected,” said 90-year-old M. Paul, watching the ceremony, standing near the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in the city center of Warsaw. …

In Germany, many people visited on Wednesday the Sachsenhausen memorial and museum, which was built at the site of the former Nazi concentration camp about 35 km north of Berlin in 1936.

The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp now serves as a place to learn about the history within the authentic surroundings, including the remnants of buildings and other relics of the camp.

Commenting on the German history in WWII, museum visitor Jaap Van Dijk said that “you cannot really hide it … the best you can do is to inform people about it, which I think they (German people) have done very well.”

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Background

VE day (Victory in Europe day) is held on May 8th.

It commemorates the end of the Second World War in Europe, when the forces of Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allied forces.

The Japanese continued to fight the Americans until August 15th 1945. This date is known as VJ day (Victory in Japan day).

In depth

The Second World War lasted 6 years from 1939 to 1945. Sixty million people in Europe, Africa and Asia were killed. On 7th May 1945, the German High Command signed an unconditional surrender document. To give time for the news to spread to the fighting soldiers, it was agreed that the ceasefire should be at 00.01 on the 9th May. However, enthusiastic journalists broke the news early and spontaneous celebrations began almost immediately.

Church bells rang out across the land and churches were packed as people went to give thanks [to God] that, after 6 long years of suffering, victory had finally arrived. ...

VE Day in Britain

In Britain people gathered on the streets, many dressed in red, white and blue, to sing and dance, hugging each other, relieved that the war was finally over. Britain and Western Europe decided to celebrate VE day on the 8th May with street parties and fancy dress parades for the children. In Russia VE day is celebrated on May the 9th, the official date the war ended.

Food was rationed, so people had to pool together their coupons to have enough to provide party food. Many of the street party decorations were handmade. Decorations could not be easily bought in war-weary England. Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe stuck to the original agreement and still celebrate on the 9th May.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth waved to cheering crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Their daughter, Princess Elizabeth (who became the present Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Princess Margaret mingled anonymously with the huge crowds in the Mall and Trafalgar Square.

Official announcement by Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill officially announced the surrender of Nazi Germany which was broadcast around the world to British soldiers. He gave thanks to God and then went to join the Royal family on the balcony of Buckingham palace and told the crowds. “This is your victory… Advance Britannia”.

The celebrations continued all night with fireworks and bonfires where images of Hitler were burnt and many pubs ran out of alcohol. (from BBC News)