Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the World War II Allies of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations.
King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth (l) & Princess Margaret (r), Buckingham Palace, May 8, 1945 [Associated Press]
Commemorations 80 years on
Several countries observe public holidays on the day each year, also called Victory Over Fascism Day, Liberation Day, or Victory Day. In the UK, it is often abbreviated to VE Day, a term which existed as early as September 1944, in anticipation of victory.
Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, had committed suicide on 30 April during the Battle of Berlin, and Germany's surrender was authorised by his successor, Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz.
The administration headed by Dönitz was known as the Flensburg Government.
The act of military surrender was first signed at 02:41 on 7 May in SHAEF HQ at Reims, and a slightly modified document, considered the definitive German Instrument of Surrender, was signed on 8 May 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin at 22:43 local time.
[Wikipedia]
Celebrations in 1945
Upon the defeat of Germany, celebrations erupted throughout the Western world, especially in the United Kingdom, in North America and in Russia.
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 in Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by their daughters and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds. Churchill went from the palace to Whitehall, where he addressed another large crowd.
VE Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square, London [BBC]
Press coverage:
80 years ago World War II in Europe was over. Celebrating V-E Day is now tinged with some dread - MSN/AP News
BBC to mark 80th Anniversary of VE Day
Churches across England to mark 80th Anniversary of VE Day with commemorations, bell ringing, and prayers for peace | The Church of England
VE-Day: How it unfolded, told through CBC's original reports | CBC News
Europe marks 80 years since VE day as Continent faces new security realities – The Irish Times
The warning of VE Day - New Statesman
VE Day 2025: A moment of joy captured 80 years ago | UK News | Sky News
VE Day 2025 celebrations: King and Royal family watch Red Arrows flypast - The Telegraph
VE-Day: How it unfolded, told through CBC's original reports | CBC News
In the German press and media:
Die letzten Kriegstage 1945 - Bundesarchiv
Die "Stunde null" – das Kriegsende 1945 in Bildern | STERN.de
Kriegsende 1945: Die letzten Tage des Dritten Reichs - Politik - SZ.de
Kriegsende 1945: So endete der Zweite Weltkrieg im Norden | NDR.de - Geschichte - Chronologie - Kriegsende
Kriegsende 1945: Wieso die Wehrmacht zweimal kapitulierte - ZDFheute
Kriegsende vor 80 Jahren: Als Frankfurt zur Frontstadt wurde - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
© Paul Whitelock
Photos:
Associated Press, BBC, Wikipedia
Acknowledgements:
AP, BBC, Bundesarchiv, Church of England, CBC, CBS, FAZ, Irish Times, MSN, New Statesman, NDR, Stern, SKY News, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Telegraph, ZDF
Tags:
Allies, AP, BBC, Bundesarchiv, Churchill, Church of England, CBC, CBS, Dönitz, Flensburg Government, FAZ, George VI, Germany, Hitler, Irish Times, Karl Dönitz, Karlshorst, MSN, Nazi leader, New Statesman, NDR, North America, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Reims, Russia, Stern, SKY News, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Telegraph, Trafalgar Square, United Kingdom, VE Day, VE Day celebrations, Wikipedia, World War II, ZDF