Just a couple of decades ago there was no need to talk much about Victory Day or explain what kind of holiday it was. But the years go by.
It so happens that historical events gradually become History. There are fewer and fewer living witnesses to those past events.
But the heroic feat of the Soviet people, who prevented Nazism from spreading throughout the planet, will live on for centuries.
– May 9 is celebrated year after year as a memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. This day is considered a day of great feat in memory of all those who died for the liberation of a once great country - the Soviet Union.
The Victory Day holiday is not a simple symbol, it is an echo of the time when, under difficult conditions, step by step, the people liberated their land from the occupiers.
Back in 1941, without any warning, the USSR (a great power) was attacked by the troops of the Reich - the German Nazi army under the military command of the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler.
Nazi Germany wanted to enslave the superpower, humiliate and bring all its people to their knees. And only thanks to heroism, enthusiasm and devotion to their country, the army of the Soviet Union was able to defeat and destroy the aggressors.
The Soviet Army not only prevented its country from being enslaved, but with the help of allied troops: the countries of England, the USA, France and other countries that suffered from Nazi oppression, it liberated many European countries.
The people of the Soviet Union did not allow " brown plague» spread. For 4 whole years, slowly, losing the lives of many soldiers, officers, and civilians, victory over Hitler’s troops was approaching. But this Victory Day has come.
After many bloody battles, in May 1945, Soviet troops entered Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany. After the Fuhrer's suicide, German troops still resisted, suffering enormous losses. But on May 2 the capital capitulated, then on May 7 Germany surrendered.
And an act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed, but General Susloparov did not have the authority to sign the agreement. And on May 9, at 00-43 hours Moscow time, a repeated act of surrender was signed. It was signed on the German side by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, General Stumpf and Admiral von Friedeburg, recognizing official defeat in the war.
The first signing was recognized as preliminary, but it is the first signing that is considered true abroad and they celebrate Victory Day over fascism on May 8.
Be that as it may, it was recognized as a public holiday, Victory Day. And on June 24, the famous Victory Parade took place on Red Square in Moscow, when the banners of the defeated Reich were allegedly burned.
In fact, the flags of Nazi Germany were sent to the archives of the Museum of Valor of the Soviet Army, and the platform and gloves of the soldiers carrying the enemy’s banners were set on fire.
Officially, May 9 was recognized as a public holiday, however, already in 1947, the victory holiday became a working day. And only with the coming to power of Leonid Brezhnev, in the Soviet Union, May 9 again acquired the status of a public holiday.
Parades and celebrations began to take place again, as did processions of military equipment, which continue to this day. After each parade there is a ceremonial fireworks display. May 9 has become a traditional day for meeting war veterans, of whom there are fewer and fewer every year.
And we must not forget the feat of the people, who gave the current generation the opportunity to live in peaceful conditions, without the stigma of slavery.
With the collapse of the USSR and the emergence of instability in political and economic structures, many new states no longer had time for Victory Day and festivities.
Only in 1995 was the tradition of celebrating this holiday restored. Then 2 parades took place in Moscow: one on Red Square, 2 on Poklonnaya Hill.
Since then, military parades have become an annual tradition. And since 2008, parades began to be held using military equipment and aircraft. They began laying wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers again.
Officials began to congratulate the veterans. On this day, soldiers who died in other military operations are also remembered: soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Chechnya.
Victory Day is also celebrated in other European countries. There they congratulate their war veterans, liberator soldiers.
In Europe this holiday is called Europe Day. In England, the celebrations take place pompously at Buckingham Palace. In America, this holiday has two fundamental solemn days.
For the United States, this is Victory in Europe Day, celebrated on May 8, and Victory Day over Japan, held on August 15. These days, Americans congratulate their veterans, thanking them for the Victory in that war.
The history of the May 9 holiday has undergone a lot of changes over so many years, but this holiday will always be considered the brightest day. This is a day of joy and a day of sorrow at the same time. On Victory Day, people remember the exploits of the people and the horrors of war, which should not be repeated.
9 May 2017, 09:35Victory Day- a celebration of the victory of the people of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Celebrated on May 9.
Abroad, Victory Day is celebrated not on May 9, but on May 8.
War-torn Europe celebrated Victory Day sincerely and publicly. On May 9, 1945, in almost all European cities, people congratulated each other and the winning soldiers.
In London, the center of celebrations was Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. People were congratulated by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
Winston Churchill gave a speech from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
In the USA, there are two whole Victory Days: V-E Day(Victory in Europe Day) and V-J Day(Victory Day over Japan). Americans celebrated both of these Victory Days in 1945 on a grand scale, honoring their veterans and remembering President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Victory Day coincided with the birthday of President Harry Truman. He dedicated the victory to the memory of his predecessor, Franklin Roosevelt, who died of a cerebral hemorrhage a month before Germany's surrender.
Now the veterans are celebrating this way - they go to lay wreaths and salute the fallen in the city of Washington at the memorial to the heroes of World War II. And the real Victory Day in the USA is September 2, 1945.
On this day, September 2, 1945, at 9:02 am Tokyo time, the Act of Surrender of the Empire of Japan was signed on board the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. On the Japanese side, the document was signed by Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Chief of the General Staff Yoshijiro Umezu. Representatives of the Allied Powers were Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers Douglas MacArthur, American Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander of the British Pacific Fleet Bruce Fraser, Soviet General Kuzma Nikolaevich Derevyanko, Kuomintang General Su Yong-chang, French General J. Leclerc, Australian General T. Blamey, Dutch Admiral K. Halfrich, New Zealand Air Vice-Marshal L. Isit and Canadian Colonel N. Moore-Cosgrave.
Apart from the USSR, May 9 was officially recognized as Victory Day only in Great Britain. This country waged war against fascism from 1939 and until 1941 fought Hitler almost alone.
The British clearly did not have enough strength to defeat Germany, but when faced with the terrible machine of the Wehrmacht, it was they who were able to appreciate the feat of the Soviet people who crushed it.
After the end of the war, many of our veterans remained in Great Britain, so now England has the largest diaspora of USSR veterans in Western Europe. It is worth noting that although Victory Day is celebrated in Britain, it is not done so magnificently and loudly. There are no crowds of celebrating people, large processions or parades on the streets.
On May 9, in London, in the park near the Imperial War Museum, the traditional laying of wreaths at the monument to Soviet soldiers and citizens who died in the war takes place, as well as a meeting of veterans of the Northern convoys on board the cruiser Belfast.
Northern convoys and the maritime brotherhood that united British and Soviet sailors further united the veterans. The celebrations do not differ in pomp, but they are held very dignified, with the participation of members of the royal family and senior government officials. Living survivors of air battles with the Luftwaffe, icy, but no less hot voyages across the northern seas, and those who happened to swallow the hot sand of the African desert listen to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra after meeting on the cruiser Belfast. There are fewer and fewer veterans, and if previously music was played only for them, now there are more free seats, and everyone who wants to is invited to enjoy it.
The history of the Victory Day holiday dates back to May 9, 1945, when, in the suburbs of Berlin, the Chief of Staff of the Supreme High Command, Field Marshal General W. Keitel from the Wehrmacht, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the USSR Georgy Zhukov from the Red Army and Air Marshal of Great Britain A. Tedder from the Allies, signed an act of unconditional and complete surrender of the Wehrmacht.
Berlin was taken on May 2, but German troops resisted the Red Army for more than a week before the fascist command, in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, finally decided to surrender.
On May 7 at 2:41 am in Reims, the act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed. On behalf of the German High Command, the Instrument of Surrender was signed by General Jodl in the presence of General Walter Smith (on behalf of the Allied Expeditionary Forces), General Ivan Susloparov (on behalf of the Soviet High Command) and General of the French Army Francois Sevez as a witness.
General Susloparov signed the act in Reims at his own peril and risk, since he did not manage to contact the Kremlin in time and receive instructions. Stalin was outraged by the signing of the surrender at Reims, in which the Western allies played the leading role.
Representatives of the allied command (from left to right): Major General I.A. Susloparov, Lieutenant General Walter Smith, Army General Dwight Eisenhower and Air Marshal Arthur Tedder. Reims, May 7, 1945.
The document signed in Rains came into force at 23:00 on May 8th. Many believe that due to the time difference between the USSR and Europe, it turned out that we celebrate this holiday on different days. However, not all so simple.
The act of surrender was re-signed.
Stalin ordered Marshal Zhukov to accept general surrender in the capital of the defeated state, Berlin, from representatives of the branches of the German armed forces.
On May 8 at 22:43 Central European time (May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time) in the suburbs of Berlin, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, as well as Luftwaffe representative Colonel General Stumpf and Kriegsmarine Admiral von Friedeburg signed the act of complete surrender of Germany again .
“I can’t help but brag,” photographer Petrusov later wrote. “It took me a lot of effort to tear myself away from the close-up shots of Marshal Zhukov, Keitel and others, to give up my hard-won place at the table itself, to step aside, climb onto the table and take this picture, which gives the overall picture of the signing. I am rewarded - there is no such second shot.”
However, all these details, while of interest to researchers, in no way affect our attitude towards the very fact of the Great Victory.
Berlin, May 1945
Red banners on the quadriga of the Brandenburg Gate. Berlin. May 1945. (Archive photos)
Soviet soldiers on the streets of Berlin. May 1945. (Archive photos)
Fireworks in honor of the Victory. On the roof of the Reichstag, soldiers of the battalion under the command of Hero of the Soviet Union Stepan Andreevich Neustroev. May 1945. (Archive photos)
Red Army troops on the streets of Bucharest, 1944. (Archive photos)
And before all these events, Stalin signed a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR that from now on May 9 becomes a national holiday - Victory Day and is declared a day off. At 6 o'clock in the morning Moscow time, this Decree was read out on the radio by announcer Levitan. The first Victory Day was celebrated with people on the streets congratulating each other, hugging, kissing and crying.
On May 9, in the evening, the Victory Salute was given in Moscow, the largest in the history of the USSR: thirty salvos were fired from a thousand guns.
But May 9th was a day off for only three years. In 1948, it was ordered to forget about the war and devote all efforts to restoring the national economy destroyed by the war.
Only in 1965, already in the relatively prosperous era of Brezhnev, in the 20th anniversary of Victory, the holiday was again given its due. May 9 became a day off again, Parades, large-scale fireworks in all cities - Heroes and honoring of veterans - resumed.
Victory Banner
The banner, taken down from the Reichstag, where Yegorov and Kantaria planted it, did not participate in the first Victory Parade. It bore the name of the 150th division, where the soldiers served, and the country's leadership considered that such a banner could not be a symbol of Victory, which was achieved by the whole people, and not by one division. And in fact, this is correct, since in those days this Banner was not the only one that Soviet soldiers hoisted on the day of the capture of Berlin.
In 2007, a controversy flared up again around the Victory Banner: after all, on it you can see a sickle and a hammer - symbols of a state that no longer exists. And again common sense prevailed, and the banner once again fluttered proudly over the ranks of soldiers and cadets striding across Red Square.
In addition to festive victory parades in the cities of the country, Victory Day has other attributes and traditions:
Laying wreaths and flowers at memorial cemeteries and monuments to soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. Traditionally, flowers are laid on the worship mountain and at the monument to the unknown soldier; in St. Petersburg, the main laying ceremony takes place at the Piskarevskoye cemetery and at the memorial plaque on Nevsky Prospekt, in Volgograd on the Mamayev Kurgan. And throughout the country there are thousands of thousands of monuments, memorial plaques and memorial places where everyone, young and old, brings flowers on Victory Day on May 9th.
A minute of silence. Solemn funeral ceremonies of laying flowers are traditionally accompanied by a minute of silence in memory of all those who died during the Great Patriotic War. A minute of silence is a sign of respect to all the people who gave their lives so that today we would have a peaceful sky above our heads.
Victory salute. Victory Day ends with festive fireworks. The first fireworks in Moscow were given in 1943 in honor of the successful offensive of the Red Army, after which a tradition arose of arranging fireworks after successful actions against Nazi troops. And, of course, one of the most grandiose fireworks was the fireworks on May 9, 1945, on the day the complete surrender of the fascist troops was announced. The fireworks began at 10 p.m. Moscow time; since then, every year at 10 p.m., Victory fireworks begin in many cities, reminding us that the country survived, overthrew the invaders, and is rejoicing! 
St. George Ribbon.
There are fewer and fewer living witnesses of that war, and increasingly the political forces of some foreign countries are trying to denigrate the heroic soldiers of our victorious army. And in order to pay tribute to the memory and respect of the exploits of our heroes, so that the younger generation knows, remembers and is proud of their history, a new tradition was established in 2005 - tying a St. George ribbon on Victory Day. The action is called “I remember! I'm proud!"
St. George's Ribbon - bicolor (two-color) orange and black. It traces its history from the ribbon to the soldier's Order of St. George the Victorious, established on November 26, 1769 by Empress Catherine II. This ribbon, with minor changes, entered the USSR award system as the “Guards Ribbon” - a sign of special distinction for a soldier.
The block of the very honorable “soldier’s” Order of Glory is covered with it. The black color of the ribbon means smoke, and the orange color means flame. In our time, an interesting tradition has emerged associated with this ancient symbol. Young people, on the eve of the Victory Day holiday, wear a ribbon as a sign of respect, memory and solidarity with the heroic Russian soldiers who defended the freedom of our country in the distant 40s.
A fine can easily be issued for disrespectful attitude towards the symbol.
Volunteers are distributing new rules for wearing the Victory symbol among the country's population. From the very beginning of the St. George's Ribbon campaign, on April 24, volunteers have been warning about the strict rules associated with wearing the symbol.
“It is strictly forbidden to attach the ribbon to a bag or car, wear it below the belt, on the head, tie it on the arm, or treat it disrespectfully,” according to the website of the “Volunteers of Victory” project. In case of neglect, a citizen may face a fine».
The St. George ribbon can only be worn on the lapel of a jacket, near the heart. This is reported to everyone who decides to take part in the “St. George’s Ribbon” campaign.
“It is a symbol of respect and memory. Therefore, we believe that the place for him is on the left side of the chest. This is how we show our recognition to the departed heroes,” the volunteers add.
Metronome sounds. In St. Petersburg there is a special attribute of Victory Day - the sound of a metronome from all radio broadcast points. During the difficult 900 days of the siege of Leningrad, the sounds of the metronome did not subside for a minute, announcing that the city was living, the city was breathing. These sounds gave vitality to Leningraders exhausted by the siege; without exaggeration, we can say that the sounds of the metronome saved thousands of lives.
Marches of the "Immortal Regiment"
In an endless stream through the squares and streets of cities on Victory Day, soldiers who died during the war march together with living participants in the processions. "Immortal Regiment" consists of photographs of these people. Descendants found a way to once again remember dear relatives and friends, pay tribute to their memory, and bow deeply for their feat.
Holiday Parade. The Victory Parade in Russia is traditionally held on Red Square in Moscow. In addition to Moscow, on May 9 Parades are held in other cities - heroes of the former USSR.
The first Parade in honor of the Victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War took place on June 24, 1945 on Red Square.
The decision to hold the Victory Parade on Red Square was made by Stalin in mid-May 1945, almost immediately after the defeat of the last group of Nazi troops resisting on May 13th.
June 22, 1945 The newspaper “Pravda” published the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin for No. 370: “In commemoration of the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, I appoint on June 24, 1945 in Moscow on Red Square a parade of troops of the Active Army, the Navy and the Moscow garrison - the Victory Parade. Bring to the Parade: consolidated regiments of the fronts, consolidated regiment of the People's Commissariat of Defense, consolidated regiment of the Navy, military academies, military schools and troops of the Moscow garrison. The Victory Parade will be hosted by my Deputy Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov. Command the Victory Parade to Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky.”
The first Victory Parade was prepared very carefully. According to the recollections of veterans, rehearsals took place for a month and a half. Soldiers and officers, who had been accustomed for four years to crawling on their bellies and moving in short dashes, had to be taught to take a step at a frequency of 120 steps per minute. First, stripes were drawn on the asphalt along the length of the step, and then they even pulled strings that helped set the height of the step. The boots were covered with a special varnish, in which the sky was reflected as if in a mirror, and metal plates were nailed to the soles, which helped to stamp the step. The Parade began at ten o'clock in the morning, almost all this time it was raining, at times turning into downpour, which was recorded by newsreel footage. About forty thousand people took part in the Parade. Zhukov and Rokossovsky rode to Red Square on white and black horses, respectively.
Joseph Vissarionovich himself only watched the Parade from the rostrum of the Lenin Mausoleum. Stalin stood on the platform of the mausoleum on the left, losing the middle to the front-line generals - the winners.
Also present at the podium were Kalinin, Molotov, Budyonny, Voroshilov and other members of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee. Zhukov “received” the Parade from Rokossovsky, rode along with him along the soldiers lined up in ranks and greeted them with three “hurrays,” then climbed to the podium of the Mausoleum and read out a welcoming speech dedicated to the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany. Combined regiments of the fronts: Karelian, Leningrad, 1st Baltic, 3rd, 2nd and 1st Belorussian, 1st, 4th, 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian, consolidated regiment solemnly marched across Red Square Navy. As part of the regiment of the 1st Belorussian Front, representatives of the Polish Army marched in a special column. In front of the marching columns of the fronts were the commanders of the fronts and armies with swords drawn. The banners of the formations were carried by Heroes of the Soviet Union and other order bearers. Behind them moved a column of soldiers of a special battalion from among the heroes of the Soviet Union and other soldiers who especially distinguished themselves in battle. They carried banners and standards of defeated Nazi Germany, which they threw at the foot of the Mausoleum and set fire to. Further along Red Square, units of the Moscow garrison passed, then cavalrymen galloped, legendary carts passed, air defense formations, artillery, motorcyclists, light armored vehicles and heavy tanks followed. Airplanes piloted by renowned aces flew through the sky.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Victory Day parades ceased again for some time. They were revived again only in the anniversary 1995 year, when two parades took place in Moscow at once: the first on Red Square and the second on the Poklonnaya Hill memorial complex.
Happy Victory Day, my dears!
Victory Day! There is so much in these words. They contain the bitterness of tears and losses, and the joy of meetings and achievements. After all, the events of those terrible years affected every family, every person. And even though many years separate us from that Great Victory, every year at the beginning of May all Russians remember with respect and awe the feat of their fathers and grandfathers. Let's remember how it all began and how the traditions of celebrating May 9 have changed over half a century.
For all residents of Russia and the countries of the former Union, one of the most important holidays is May 9 - Victory Day is celebrated by everyone, regardless of age and social status. Fortunately, many of us do not know the horrors of war, the hardships and troubles that people who went through the nightmare of the war years had to endure. But we understand perfectly well that this happiness is due precisely to those soldiers who did not return from the battlefield, as well as to the heroes who worthily reached the glorious day of Victory.
Victory story
It took four years for Soviet troops to reach the day of victory over fascism. Four years that went down in history as the greatest feat of ordinary soldiers and officers, children and teenagers, old people and women who literally pulled out their right to a happy, peaceful life with their teeth. And not only your life, but also your children, grandchildren, that is, our peaceful life. And it is impossible to forget this feat.
Raising the flag over the Reichstag
And the most joyful, unforgettable event, of course, was and will always be Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War.
It was Victory Day that marked the complete surrender of the fascist troops. But this event was preceded by other equally important stages of surrender.
By the end of April, Soviet troops came close to Berlin, where they encountered fierce resistance. Preliminary negotiations on May 1 about complete surrender did not yield results, which led to an assault on the central part of the city and battles for the main office. Despite heavy fighting, on May 2 the flag was raised over the Reichstag by Soviet soldiers. By 15 o'clock, after a radio speech by the deputy of German propaganda, the remnants of the German garrison laid down their arms and surrendered. Thus Berlin capitulated, but it was not yet Victory.
The act of complete surrender was signed only five days later, which the German command agreed to because of the pointlessness of continuing military operations. Early in the morning of May 7, the document was signed by all parties to the military conflict. But General Ivan Susloparov, speaking on behalf of the Soviet command, did not have Moscow’s permission to endorse such historical documents.
Therefore, it was decided to sign the second act, but by authorized persons of all parties. The document, which has all legal rights, is signed according to Central European time on May 8 at 22 hours 43 minutes, which corresponds to 0 hours 43 minutes on May 9 Moscow time.
It was this document that proclaimed the complete surrender of Germany.
history of the holiday
On the morning of May 9, Stalin signed the Decree of the Commander-in-Chief, which proclaimed May 9 as Victory Day.
The first celebration in 1945 was remembered by a grandiose fireworks display. The Victory Parade in honor of the end of the war was held in Moscow on June 24.
However, the solemn celebration of May 9 lasted only three years. In 1948, the holiday was abolished. Either in this way they wanted to smooth over the wounds of the terrible war years, or Stalin did not like the fact that the people associated the holiday with Marshal of Victory Zhukov.
However, the holiday has lost the solemnity and sublimity that was originally invested in it.
Literally before the start of Brezhnev's rule, Victory Day was a working day and was celebrated with fireworks and the standard 30 salvos from artillery guns.
Under Brezhnev, the approach to celebrating Victory Day changed dramatically. Since 1965, the holiday has again been declared a day off and the tradition of holding military parades has returned. The scale of solemnity of the events increased every year.
After the collapse of the Union amid political instability, the holiday was simply ignored for several years in terms of holding festive and traditional events. And only in 1995 the tradition of holding parades and processions on Victory Day was revived again. But literally until 2008, military equipment did not participate in such parades.
One holiday - different dates
If in Russia and the countries of the former Union Victory Day is unconditionally perceived as May 9, then in European countries the holiday is usually celebrated on May 8. This is due not so much to the confusion of dates, but to the difference in time when the Act of Surrender of Germany was signed. According to the time in Europe, the event happened on the night of May 8th.
Signing the act of surrender
The UN also made its contribution, which, with its resolution adopted in 2004, recommended that participating countries celebrate the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Second World War.
Therefore, in Europe, a holiday is celebrated in many countries on May 8, and it has a more tragic than joyful connotation.
Unfortunately, in the Baltic countries and Ukraine, where the vision of many historical events has recently changed dramatically, decisions were made at the government level to postpone and rename the holiday. But, as life shows, folk traditions and memory are much stronger, and many people, as before, try to celebrate Victory Day according to the date established by their ancestors.
Celebration traditions
Today May 9 is one of the brightest and largest holidays in Russia. The celebration is held in all major cities and small towns of the country. Music of the war years and military themes is played everywhere, people take to the streets to lay flowers at monuments and graves, and also to congratulate veterans. But for the front-line soldiers, of whom there are only a few left, this is also a day of bitterness, a day of remembrance of the horrors they suffered and their fallen comrades.
Victory Day Parade
Various army units, as well as modern military equipment, are marching across the main square of the country and in large hero cities. Aviation also takes part in the parade. War veterans, representatives of the state government, as well as guests of the country are present at the parade as guests of honor.
Laying of flowers and moment of silence
Each city has its own places of military glory.
It is to such memorials and monuments, monuments and burials, monuments to the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame, and other historical and memorable places that people go all day long to bow and lay flowers, wreaths, and baskets. During ceremonial layings, the event is accompanied by a minute of silence. This is a tribute of respect and respect to those heroes who laid down their lives for the sake of peace, for the sake of Victory.
This is a young tradition that in just a couple of years has spread not only to all cities of Russia, but has also gained recognition in many countries around the world.
Millions of children and grandchildren take to the streets of cities with portraits of their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers, who were directly involved in the approach of the Great Victory. A real “immortal regiment” is passing through the streets, since these heroes will always be alive in our memory.
Campaign for Victory Day “I remember! I'm proud!" appeared back in 2005. This motto does not require much explanation, and the symbol of the action was the St. George or Guards ribbon.
To remind the younger generation of the valiant feat of our ancestors, this tradition of tying a ribbon on Victory Day appeared. But attacks by some states on this harmless attribute involuntarily made the St. George ribbon a real symbol of victory.
Firework
In the evening, after the main ceremonial events, large-scale festive fireworks are always held in large cities.
Hundreds, thousands of balls fly up into the sky, scattering into millions of sparks, illuminating the sky above the cities and creating an unforgettable spectacle. Volleys are fired from special artillery guns. It is this event that creates a truly unique feeling of unity, a feeling of gratitude that inevitably awakens in the hearts of people during the Victory Salvos.
Congratulations
Dear veterans, all our words and congratulations on Victory Day are intended for you. We bow at your feet and thank you for our peaceful sky. We wish you good health and peace of mind. And we promise that we will do everything so that our children and grandchildren remember this day and never know the horrors of war.
May 9 is a day of sorrow and a day of joy. We mourn the dead, those who sacrificed their lives for our well-being. We rejoice at Victory, the greatest victory of good over evil, faith in life over fascism, good over the “black plague.” After all, on that distant spring day, something happened that millions of people had been working toward for four years, suffering losses and suffering from grief. And today we rejoice at our victory, we are proud that we are followers of the great winners.
Tears and joy in our eyes,
There is simply no more joyful holiday.
Flowers for veterans in our hands,
Thank you for a life without troubles.
There will be fireworks today,
With victory, everyone repeats,
We march with pride in the eternal regiment,
The pain will not subside, but our memory is alive,
It becomes stronger over the years.
How much trouble that war brought,
What a blessing that victory was ours.
Many days, minutes, years.
Victory was brought closer as best we could.
And now the trouble has disappeared forever,
Everyone was happy and rejoicing.
Congratulations today to those who survived,
We bow our knees before you,
And let's remember the dead, and keep silent,
Swallowing tears of bitterness.
We will say thank you for a world without war,
Thank you all for the victory,
Thanks to all those who did not return from the war,
Thanks to my father and grandfather.
Larisa, April 27, 2017.The history of Victory Day, and such symbols of the holiday as the parade, fireworks, the victory banner, and the St. George ribbon.
Victory Day. History and attributes of the holiday.
Already 73 years old in Russia and the member countries of the former USSR they celebrate. However, many, especially young people, know nothing about the history of the holiday.
History experts say that on April 30, 1945, Hitler’s suicide was a sign of approaching victory. However, the German troops did not stop, and only after a series of bloody battles did Germany capitulate on May 2. The surrender was signed on May 9, 1945. So the official date was set for celebrating the victory over Nazi Germany, which was announced in the USSR on the radio.
However, the first celebration took place only on June 24, 1945. Under the command of Konstantin Rokossovsky, a parade was organized in Moscow, and festive fireworks thundered in other cities throughout the USSR.
In 1947, all events related to the celebration of the great victory were canceled by the country's leadership due to the opinion that people should rest and forget these bloody years. Some documents testify to this.
Only in 1965, 20 years later, the victory of the Soviet troops was recognized as a national holiday and on May 9 parades and fireworks were held in the cities.
In the 90s, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, holidays in honor of the victory in the Great Patriotic War died down somewhat, but in 1995, two full-fledged parades were already held. One is on Red Square, and the second is on Poklonnaya Hill with the participation of armored vehicles. Wreaths were laid at monuments and memorials.
To get into the atmosphere of Victory Day, let’s look at what is typical for this holiday.
Fireworks for Victory Day
The first homemade salute was given on August 5, 1943, which commemorated the successful advance of Soviet troops near Orel and Nizhny Novgorod. So fireworks became a tradition that commemorated the successes of the Red Army in battles.
The army held a grand salute in Kharkov when the city was liberated. This time they even used machine guns that fired bullets into the sky. But, since there were casualties after the experiment, machine guns no longer took part in fireworks.
And, of course, on May 9, 1945, the largest fireworks display was organized with the participation of 1000 anti-aircraft guns.
Victory Banner
Another attribute of the holiday is the victory banner, which was removed from the Reichstag. Taking part in parades, it proudly hovers over the soldiers marching along Red Square.
Victory Day Parades
And finally, the holiday parade itself. Traditionally, this festive event takes place on Red Square. For the first time such a decision was made by Stalin; on June 22, 1945, he issued a corresponding order scheduling a parade on June 24 on Red Square. Since then it has been like this.
The first parade was rehearsed for a month and a half, training the soldiers to take 120 steps per minute. For quick results, stripes were drawn along the length of the step and strings were pulled at a certain height. The sky was reflected in the patent leather boots, and metal plates nailed to the soles of the boots clattered on the asphalt. It rained during the first parade. About 40 thousand people took part in the parade.
St. George ribbons
Already in our time, the symbol of the celebration of Victory Day of the herd is the “St. George’s Ribbon”, which is painted black - the color of smoke, and orange - the color of fire. Its history begins in 1769, when Catherine II approved the Order of St. George the Victorious. In Soviet times, the ribbon began to be called “Guards” and was awarded to distinguished soldiers. The “Guards Ribbon” participates in the design of the Order of Glory.
On Victory Day, a ribbon is tied to clothing as a sign of memory, grief and respect for the Russian soldiers who defended our freedom at the cost of their own lives.
The holiday and history of Victory Day will be unforgettable for many generations. May 9 is celebrated in many countries around the world. Over the years, the holiday has acquired its own symbolism and received many conflicting assessments. All this is discussed in an interesting article, written in lively language and completely original.
9th May Our entire country celebrates the holiday of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. This is a holiday of glory, pride, courage and eternal memory. It was on May 9, 1945, at one o'clock in the morning Moscow time, that the act of surrender of the Third Reich was adopted. On the same day, the Victory Banner and the document itself were delivered by plane to Moscow to Red Square. And in the evening, in honor of the victory, a large-scale salute of 1000 guns was given in the capital, 30 artillery salvoes were fired, complemented by the flight of multi-colored rockets and the illumination of searchlights. All this was accompanied by noisy celebration of the crowd that spontaneously formed on the streets of Moscow.
The government decided to declare May 9 a Victory Day and consider this day a non-working day. Thus, already in the first peaceful moments, the traditions of the great holiday began to be laid. However, 2 years later, in the midst of the restoration of the post-war economy, May 9 becomes a weekday. This continued until 1965, when L.I. Brezhnev, who had just come to power, ordered the restoration of the status of a non-working day.
Not a single holiday can be imagined without traditions; Victory Day also has them. Meeting front-line soldiers, congratulating war and home front veterans, laying flowers at monuments and memorials, holding festive processions and parades with demonstrations of military equipment; it is impossible to imagine May 9 without this. And in anniversary years, traditions acquire a particularly solemn scope.
So in 1995, in honor of the half-century anniversary of the Victory, two parades took place in Moscow: a pedestrian one on Poklonnaya Hill and one on Red Square with the participation of military equipment. Since then, parades have been held annually. The marches of veterans who have not lost their military bearing in their advanced years always look especially touching.
An invariable attribute of Victory Day was the festive fireworks, the tradition of which was founded in Moscow in 1943 in honor of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod, although at that time it was not yet a fireworks of the winners. Since 1945, the tradition has been established of producing Victory salutes in the capital from 31 points with an interval of 20 seconds, 30 salvoes each.
One of the symbols of the celebrations is the St. George Ribbon - two colors of black and orange. During the war, it became a sign of the soldier’s special military valor. Nowadays, since 2005, it has been customary on the eve of the holiday to distribute a ribbon to everyone and tie it on clothing as a sign of gratitude, respect, memory, and sorrow for those who died in the war.
It is impossible to imagine Victory Day without the Victory Banner, the state relic of Russia, which was hoisted over the Reichstag on April 30, 1945. Since 1996, it has become an accepted state symbol of the victory of the Soviet people over the enemy and should be used during official celebrations, as well as public events in memory of the war.
Of course, the spiritual symbol of the holiday are the hero cities and cities of military glory (their status was officially determined in 2006), which took the brunt of the fascist troops. In Russia there are 7 and 45 of them, respectively. Commemorative obelisks and steles are installed in them, and on May 9 and the birthday of these cities, festive events and fireworks are held.
In non-CIS countries, it is customary to celebrate the victory holiday on May 8, since formally the surrender of Germany was signed first in France on May 7, and then again, according to Central European time, the next day in Germany. And the date itself, as a rule, has a different context. In the USA, the holiday is not a national holiday and is called Victory Day in Europe. It is usually attended by officials, veterans, and public figures who lay flowers and wreaths at the memorials.
And in West Hollywood, where the country's first monument in honor of Victory in the Great Patriotic War was unveiled, next to which veterans hold a solemn procession. In England, May 9 is not a day off, however, according to established tradition, on this day a solemn ceremony in memory of the victims of the war takes place at the Soviet war memorial in London.
The countries through which the war was a heavy roller stand apart. In Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, it is customary to celebrate the day of liberation from fascism. In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Serbia, festive events are particularly solemn and official, accompanied by the laying of flowers at memorials, ceremonial demonstrations, parades and rallies. In Germany, Victory Day is not a day off, which does not cancel the celebration. Many veterans usually come to the country these days.
In modern Russia, the great status of the holiday is beyond doubt, which is why it is celebrated on a grand scale. Although the date is official, it has a strong basis in society, because the war, one way or another, affected almost every family. The current 73rd anniversary was no exception. Ceremonial marches are planned in 40 cities, and parades are held in 28 cities. In Moscow, the parade will feature soldiers dressed in wartime uniforms, World War II-era equipment and modern examples of the latest weapons. A very interesting and expected event will be the participation of units of a number of foreign armies in the parade.
Today, the day of victory over Nazism has acquired a vivid political context both in the near and far abroad. It has become the subject of bargaining and manipulation, incorrect assessments and opinions. The victory of the Soviet people is being called into question, new assessments of the actions of the Red Army are being voiced - not liberation, but the occupation of Eastern Europe. Despite this, the eternal ideals of peace, kindness, harmony, which the Great Victory gave us as anti-values of war, will not cease to be relevant.
The great victory of the peoples of Rus' in the Great Patriotic War is a heroic and turning point in the significant events of the mid-20th century.
Fascism was a powerful, cruel, inhumane enemy that swept away everything beautiful and good from its path.
For the sake of victory over the Nazis, the leadership of our country resorted to emergency measures, and the great Russian people had to make an incredible amount of effort, estimated at millions of lives.
The road to German enemy Berlin took the Soviet army more than three years of difficult front-line battles and battles. Under the might of the Wehrmacht, the Soviet Union did not surrender, unlike other European states.
Where it all began
9th May- one of the main holidays of great Russia and the former countries of the Soviet Union. Each of us annually remembers the horrors of the war that Soviet soldiers were able to survive, and in almost every family there are veterans of this war who survived the victory or did not return from the battlefield.
The celebration was established in 1945 after the defeat of fascist troops by the Soviet war. It was on May 9 that the Soviet and German sides signed the agreement on the surrender of the Wehrmacht, which marked the end of the brutal interethnic bloodshed.
On June 24, 1945, the official date for celebrating the Great Victory was announced - May 9. On the occasion of this significant historical event, a parade was held under the leadership of Rokossovsky, but three years later the Victory Day ceased to be a day off.
The leaders of the Union considered that the people should at least temporarily forget about the terrible military events. But still, holiday greeting cards were issued every year, and front-line veterans received congratulations.
Since the beginning of the rule of the country by L.I. Brezhnev, May 9 again became a public holiday, military parades were held in large cities of the country, and festive fireworks thundered. Since 1965, military parades in Moscow have been held every 10 years, but with the collapse of the USSR, political instability appeared and the governments of the new states had no time for popular celebrations.
The holiday was fully restored only in 1995, and Russian residents witnessed two vibrant Moscow parades at once: Russian troops paraded on Red Square, and a military parade using armored vehicles took place on Poklonnaya Hill.
From now on, military processions on Moscow's Red Square and the laying of wreaths at the monuments of fallen heroes are held every year. Until 2008, military equipment did not participate in parades, but later the tradition was restored.
May 9 is Victory Day, but in other countries this day is celebrated on May 8, due to the difference in time zones (according to European time, this great event happened on May 8). But in essence, it turns out that the inhabitants of Europe celebrate a slightly different event - Victory in Europe Day - they have every right to celebrate the date of liberation of the peoples of European countries.
On May 9, the history of the holiday has become one of the brightest and most colorful annual events. There are parades in city squares, music from the war years, a volley of fireworks, and everyone congratulates the veterans. But we should not forget that this day for front-line soldiers is also a day of bitter memory of the horrors of the war experienced, of the soldiers who died in the name of victory.
It is our duty to remember veterans not only on this great historical day, we are obliged to give them the attention and care that they deserved and gave us a bright and peaceful future.