Celebrating Victory Day

In 1945, on May 8 at 22 hours 43 minutes on Central European time (May 9 at 00 hours 43 minutes Moscow time) was signed The Act of unconditional surrender of Germany. The Great Patriotic War was over. The capitulation act was delivered to Moscow by a "Li-2" airplane with the crew of AI Semenkov, who landed on May 9, 1945, at the Central Air Station named after A.Semenkov. Frunze.

In the same year, the Day of Victory was established. True, since May 9, May 9 was considered a working day, but this does not mean that the celebration of the Victory Day was not held: the release of holiday cards was timed to this day, it was customary to congratulate the soldiers. But in the anniversary of 1965, twenty years after the victory in the Great Patriotic War, May 9 became a non-working day.

Now the celebration of the Victory Day is associated infirst of all with military parades. But it was not always so; in Soviet times, the parade was an indispensable attribute on November 7, the Day of the October Revolution - on that day parades were held every year. A military parades on Red Square on Victory Day were held only in the jubilee years - 1965, 1975, 1985 and 1990.

Nevertheless, in many cities the celebration of the Victory Day included improvised parades. On May 9, through the streets of cities, the cadets of military schools and servicemen of military units marched. Their way lay to monuments to the lost soldiers and military memorials, where they laid flowers and held rallies.

The first military parade on Red Square after the collapse of the Soviet Union took place on the day the fiftieth anniversary of victory in WWII, On May 9, 1995. On that day in Moscow there were two parades: a traditional parade on Red Square on foot and a parade on Poklonnaya Hill, in which troops and military equipment took part.

Since that day, not one Victory Day celebrationdoes without military parades. Until 2008, the parades on Red Square were held without the participation of military equipment, and since 2008 in the parade on May 9 takes part Combat vehicles, including military aviation.

Other cities also hold military parades or festive processions. Traditionally on this day congratulate the soldiers, lay wreaths and flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, common graves, monuments of Glory and military valor. In the evening in many cities a festive salute rattles.

Relatively recently, a new traditioncelebration of the Victory Day - the action "St. George's ribbon", held annually from April 24 to May 12. For the first time it was organized in 2005 on the initiative of RIA Novosti and ROSPM Student Community. Two-tone George ribbon - a sign of the soldier's personal valor on the battlefield. Black and yellow-orange ribbon colors mean smoke and flame.

The St. George ribbon imitating the traditional bicolor of St. George's ribbon has symbolic meaning and expresses our respect for the people who made their contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. It is distributed free of charge, through charitable contributions.

And how is Victory Day celebrated in other countries? In Europe, the surrender of Germany came into force May 8, 1945, therefore in most countries, anti-HitlerCoalition (in particular, Great Britain and France) The day of victory in the Second World War is May 8. In the US May 8 is called the Victory Day in Europe (V-E Day), and the victory celebration in the Second World War is considered 2 September - the day of signing the act of unconditional surrender of Japan.

Victory Day is a bright and at the same time a sad holiday in which we recall the price at which we won the Great Patriotic War.