At 10:43 p.m. on May 8, 1945, Nazi representatives signed a minutes confirming unconditional surrender at a former military school in Karlshorst near Berlin, marking the victory of the Allies, ending World War II in
75 years have passed, many activities and large-scale parade events commemorating Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) have been canceled due to the impact of Covid-19, the epidemic that is raging across the globe, causing more than
However, European countries such as England, France, Germany or Poland still have their own ways to celebrate this important holiday.
The Red Arrow flying team performed on the occasion of Victory over Nazism in the sky over London on May 8.
In England, Queen Elizabeth II made a televised speech at 9pm on May 8, exactly 75 years ago, her father, King George VI, also gave a similar speech on the radio to the entire people.
The Queen remembered the sacrifices of those who fell in the war, as well as paying tribute to the British people fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
`People who live through war understand that the best way to honor those who die in war is to ensure it doesn’t happen again. The best way to commemorate their sacrifice is as a nation,
After the Queen’s speech, many people came out to their front doors and sang the wartime song `We’ll Meet Again`.
Many others gathered, but ensuring social distancing, to admire the nine fighters of the Red Arrow Squadron demonstrating above the River Thames.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote a letter praising veterans, describing them as `Britain’s finest generation`, while Prince Charles and his wife observed two minutes of silence at the memorial at Balmoral Castle, Scotland
In France, President Emmanuel Macron presided over the celebration at the Arc de Triomphe, attended only by his two previous presidents, Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.
Macron called on people to hang flags on their balconies to commemorate the sacrifices of soldiers in the anti-fascist war.
German Prime Minister Angela Merkel and German officials laid wreaths at the memorial for war victims in Berlin, May 8.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior officials laid a wreath at a memorial to war victims, observing a few minutes of silence while trumpets sounded on Unter den Linden avenue in Berlin.
`We were once enemies of the whole world, but 75 years later, we are no longer alone,` German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a televised speech.
President Steinmeier emphasized the responsibility of German people to `think, feel and act` like Europeans during the current crisis.
Prime Minister Merkel also had phone calls with British Prime Minister Johnson, French President Macron, US President Trump and Russian President Putin to celebrate this important day.
In Poland, while laying a floral tribute at the Monument of the Unknown Martyr in the capital city of Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda described the victory day as a memorable moment but also full of painful memories.
Because the minute confirming Germany’s surrender was signed at 0:43 on May 9, 1945, Moscow time, Russia and the countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) took May 9 as the day of Victory over fascism.
