On May 8, 1945, World War II came to an end. On this day, the German Reich signed the unconditional surrender to the Allies. Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov accepted the surrender in Berlin. For the Allies, it was “Victory in Europe Day” (VE-Day), the day of victory over Nazi Germany.
For Germany, this day marked the end of Nazi rule but also the beginning of the occupation by the four victorious powers: the USA, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. In Germany, May 8 is often understood as a day of liberation from National Socialism and war. However, for a long time, the day was also seen as a defeat or catastrophe. Only decades later did this culture of remembrance begin to change.
The following locations and individuals appear in the video:
Officers’ Casino of the Fortress Engineer School Berlin-Karlshorst
Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov
Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars Andrei Vyshinsky
Chief of Staff of the German Luftwaffe, Colonel General Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
Chief of the German Armed Forces High Command (OKW), Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel
Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy, Grand Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
Credit to : CHRONOS-MEDIA History