When does the holiday begin on May 9th? Victory Day

Every country, every people has its own main holiday, which is celebrated annually for a long time. It unites the nation with a sense of pride in the valiant deeds of their ancestors, which will remain in the memory of their descendants forever. There is such a holiday in Russia too. Victory, which is celebrated on May 9.

A little history

The Great Patriotic War began on June 22, 1941 and lasted 4 long years. They suffered a lot during the years of fascist occupation, but they still won. The people paved the way for Victory Day with their own hands. Only thanks to his dedicated work and military merits, the Soviet Union was able to win this war, although it was not easy to do.

The final breakthrough, which led to the end of hostilities with Germany, was very long and difficult. Soviet troops began advancing in the area of Poland and Prussia in January 1945. The Allies were not far behind. They quickly moved towards Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany. According to many historians of that and present times, Hitler's suicide, which occurred on April 20, 1945, predetermined the complete defeat of Germany.

But the death of the mentor and leader did not stop the Nazi troops. The bloody battles for Berlin, however, led to the fact that the USSR and its allies defeated the Nazis. Victory Day is a tribute to the heavy price paid by the ancestors of many of us. Hundreds of thousands were killed on both sides - only after this did the German capital capitulate. This happened on May 7, 1945; contemporaries remembered that significant day for a long time.

Price of Victory

About 2.5 million soldiers were involved in the assault on Berlin. The losses of the Soviet Army were enormous. According to some reports, our army lost up to 15 thousand people per day. 325 thousand officers and soldiers died in the Battle of Berlin. There was a real bloody war going on. Victory Day was, after all, the day whose first celebration was just around the corner.

Since the fighting took place within the city, Soviet tanks could not maneuver widely. This only played into the hands of the Germans. They used anti-tank weapons to destroy military equipment. In a matter of weeks the following were lost by the Soviet Army:

1997 tanks;
more than 2000 guns;
about 900 aircraft.

Despite the huge losses in this battle, our troops defeated the enemies. The Day of the Great Victory over the Nazis was also marked by the fact that about half a million German soldiers were captured in this battle. The enemy suffered heavy losses. Soviet troops destroyed a huge number of German units, namely:

12 tank;
70 infantry;
11 motorized divisions.

Casualties

According to main sources, about 26.6 million people died in the Great Patriotic War. This number was determined by the demographic balance method. This number includes:

Those killed as a result of military and other enemy actions.
Persons who left the USSR during the war, as well as those who did not return after its end.
Died due to the increased mortality rate during military operations in the rear and in the occupied territory.

As for the gender of those who died and died during the Second World War, most of them were men. The total number is 20 million people.

Public Holiday

Kalinin signed a decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR stating that May 9 - Victory Day - is a public holiday. It was declared a day off. At 6 a.m. Moscow time, this decree was read out on the radio by a nationally known announcer, Levitan. On the same day, a plane landed on Red Square in Moscow, delivering the act of

Celebration of the first Victory Day

In the evening, the Victory Salute was given in Moscow - the largest in the history of the USSR. 30 salvos were fired from a thousand guns. It took a long time to prepare for the first celebration dedicated to Victory Day. The holiday was celebrated like no other in the Soviet Union. People on the streets hugged and cried, congratulating each other on their victory.

The first military parade took place on Red Square on June 24. Marshal Zhukov received him. The parade was commanded by Rokossovsky. Regiments from the following fronts marched across Red Square:

Leningradsky;
Belarusian;
Ukrainian;
Karelsky.

A combined regiment of the Navy also passed through the square. Commanders and Heroes of the Soviet Union walked ahead, carrying flags and banners of military units that distinguished themselves in battle.

At the end of the military parade on Red Square, Victory Day was marked by the fact that two hundred banners of defeated Germany were carried and thrown at the Mausoleum. Only after time had passed did the military parade begin to be held on Victory Day - May 9.

Period of oblivion

After the war, the country's leadership considered that the Soviet people, tired of fighting and bloodshed, should forget those events a little. And strange as it may seem, the custom of celebrating such an important holiday on a grand scale did not last long. In 1947, a new scenario for Victory Day was introduced by the country's leadership: it was completely canceled, and May 9 was recognized as an ordinary working day. Accordingly, all festivities and military parades were not held.

In 1965, in the year of its 20th anniversary, it was restored to its rights and again recognized as a national holiday. Many regions of the Soviet Union held their own parades. And this day ended with the usual fireworks display for everyone.

The collapse of the USSR soon followed, which led to the emergence of various conflicts, including on political topics. In 1995, full celebration of Victory Day was resumed in Russia. In the same year, as many as 2 parades took place in Moscow. One was on foot and took place on Red Square. And the second was carried out using armored vehicles, and it was observed on Poklonnaya Hill.

The official part of the holiday takes place traditionally. On Victory Day, words of congratulations are heard, followed by the laying of wreaths and flowers at the monuments and memorials of the Great Patriotic War, and the obligatory evening fireworks crown the celebration.

Victory Day

In our country there is no more touching, tragic and at the same time glorious holiday than Victory Day. It is still celebrated annually on May 9th. No matter how the facts of our history have changed in recent years, this day remains beloved by everyone, a dear and bright holiday.

On May 9, millions of people remember how their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought, not sparing their lives, with enemies who decided to conquer the Soviet Union. They remember those who worked hard in factories producing equipment and weapons for the military. People were starving, but they held on because they understood that the future victory over the fascist invaders depended only on their actions. It was these people who won the war, and thanks to their generation, today we live under peaceful skies.

How is Victory Day celebrated in Russia?

On this day, rallies and demonstrations take place. Flowers and wreaths are laid at the monuments to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. They honor veterans and participants in those distant and at the same time so close events. In general, the same scenario always awaits us on this day. On Victory Day, in many countries there are no noisy parties, and no firecrackers are set off in the evenings. But this date enters the young hearts of Russians with black-and-white newsreels about that time, with soul-stirring songs about a cramped dugout, about the frontline path and the soldier Alyosha forever frozen over the mountain.

May 9 is a holiday of a proud, victorious people. 70 years have passed since the first celebration of Victory Day. But until now this date is sacred for every Russian person. After all, there is not a single family that would not be touched by the grief of loss. Millions of soldiers went to the front, thousands of people remained to work in the rear. The entire people rose to defend the Fatherland, and they managed to defend the right to a peaceful life.

An invariable attribute of the Victory Day holiday

Over the years, the holiday acquired its own traditions. In 1965, the banner was carried out at a parade dedicated to the great date. It remained an unchanged attribute of the holiday, which symbolized Victory Day. and today it is extremely significant: parades are still full of red banners. Since 1965, the original Victory attribute was replaced with a copy. The first banner can be seen in

Also, the constant colors that accompany May 9 are black and yellow - symbols of smoke and flame. Since 2005, the St. George's Ribbon has been a constant reflection of gratitude for peace and respect for veterans.

Heroes are winners

Every year Russia celebrates a peaceful spring. Only, unfortunately, front-line wounds, time and illness are inexorable. Today, out of every hundred victors in the Great Patriotic War, only two people remain alive. And this is a very sad statistic, especially for those who were born only after Victory Day began to be celebrated. Veterans are our grandfathers and great-grandfathers who still remember those war years. They must be treated with special attention and honor. After all, it was they who made the sky above our heads become and remain peaceful.

Time treats everyone mercilessly, even the valiant heroes of a harsh war. Year by year, the number of participants in those terrible events becomes less and less. But, as before, they go out into the streets with orders and medals on their chests. Veterans meet each other, remember old times, remember friends and loved ones who died in those years. Elderly people visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Eternal Flame. They travel to places of military glory, visiting the graves of comrades who did not live to see our bright days. We must not forget about the significance of feats that they have in relation to each individual fate and to world history in general. A little more time will pass, and there will be no witnesses or participants in that bloody war left at all. Therefore, it is important to be very sensitive to this date - May 9.

Let's remember our ancestors

The main wealth of every human soul is the memory of their ancestors. After all, in order for us to live now and be who we are, many generations of people created our society. They made life as we know it.

The memory of the departed is priceless. The heroism of the victors of World War II cannot be assessed. We do not know all these great people by name. But what they accomplished cannot be measured by any material benefit. Even without knowing their names, our generation remembers them not only on Victory Day. We say words of gratitude every day for our peaceful existence. The largest number of flowers - an expressed evidence of people's memory and admiration - is at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There is always a light burning here, as if saying that although names remain unknown, human feats are immortal.

Everyone who fought in the Great Patriotic War did not fight for their own well-being. People fought for the independence and freedom of their homeland. These heroes are immortal. And we know that a person is alive as long as he is remembered.

Monuments dedicated to Victory Day

The Second World War left a huge and unforgettable mark on the history of our country. For 70 years now, we have been annually remembering this great May. Victory Day is a special holiday where the memory of those who died is honored. In the vastness of Russia, a lot of memorials dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War have been created. And all monuments are different. There are both inconspicuous obelisks in small villages and huge monuments in large cities.

Here are some famous buildings throughout the country and the world dedicated to WWII soldiers:

Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow.
Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd.
Heroes Square in Novorossiysk.
Alley of Heroes in St. Petersburg.
Eternal Flame of Glory in Novgorod.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and much more.

Celebration with tears in your eyes

This significant and at the same time mournful holiday cannot be separated from the song “Victory Day”. It contains these lines:

"This Victory Day
The smell of gunpowder
This is a holiday
With gray hair at the temples.
This is joy
With tears in his eyes…"

This song is a kind of symbol of the great date - May 9. Victory Day is never complete without it.

In March 1975, V. Kharitonov and D. Tukhmanov wrote a song dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The country was preparing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany, and the Union of Composers of the USSR announced a competition to create the best song on the theme of heroic events. A few days before the end of the competition, the work was written. It was performed at the last audition of the competition by D. Tukhmanov’s wife, poet and singer T. Sashko. But the song did not immediately become popular. Only in November 1975, at a celebration dedicated to the song performed by L. Leshchenko, was remembered by the listener. After that, she gained the love of the whole country.

There are other performers of the famous “Victory Day”. This:

I. Kobzon;
M. Magomaev;
Yu. Bogatikov;
E. Piekha et al.

Victory Day will forever remain that holiday for Russians, which they celebrate with bated breath and tears in their eyes. Eternal memory to the heroes!

For many years in the CIS countries it has been a holiday for everyone. On this day, veterans are congratulated and thanked for their victory over the Nazis. They prepare for the holiday in advance: they sign cards, prepare gifts and concert performances. For modern people, the attributes of Victory Day are St. George's ribbons, the obligatory evening fireworks and a military parade. But has this holiday always been like this?

The history of the holiday May 9

It was celebrated for the first time in 1945 after the signing of the act of surrender of Nazi Germany. This happened late in the evening of May 8, and a new day had already begun in Moscow. After the act of surrender was delivered to Russia by plane, Stalin signed a decree to consider the Victory Day on May 9 a non-working day. The whole country rejoiced. On the same day in the evening there was the first fireworks display. To do this, they fired a salvo of 30 guns and illuminated the sky with searchlights. The first Victory Parade was only on June 24, as they prepared for it very carefully.

But the history of the May 9 holiday was complex. Already in 1947, this day was made a regular working day and festive events were cancelled. It was more important for the country at that time to recover from the terrible war. And only on the twentieth anniversary of the Great Victory - in 1965 - this day was made non-working again. The description of the May 9 holiday has been almost the same for several decades: festive concerts, honoring veterans, a military parade and fireworks. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, for several years this day took place without a parade or magnificent festive events. And only in 1995 the tradition was restored - two whole parades were held. Since then, they have been held annually on Red Square.

The name of the holiday May 9 - Victory Day - evokes trepidation in the soul of every Russian person. This holiday will always be celebrated in Russia in memory of those who fought the Nazis for the sake of the lives of future generations.

A little history

The Great Patriotic War began on June 22, 1941 and lasted 4 long years. The Soviet people suffered a lot during the years of fascist occupation, but they still won. The people paved the way for Victory Day with their own hands. Only thanks to his dedicated work and military merits, the Soviet Union was able to win this war, although it was not easy to do.

But the death of the mentor and leader did not stop the Nazi troops. The bloody battles for Berlin, however, led to the fact that the USSR and its allies defeated the Nazis. Victory Day is a tribute to the heavy price paid by the ancestors of many of us. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed on both sides - only after this did the German capital capitulate. This happened on May 7, 1945; contemporaries remembered that significant day for a long time.

Price of Victory

1997 tanks;
more than 2000 guns;
about 900 aircraft.

12 tank;
70 infantry;
11 motorized divisions.

Casualties

According to main sources, about 26.6 million people died in the Great Patriotic War. This number was determined by the demographic balance method. This number includes:

Those killed as a result of military and other enemy actions.
Persons who left the USSR during the war, as well as those who did not return after its end.
Died due to the increased mortality rate during military operations in the rear and in the occupied territory.

As for the gender of the people who died and died during the Second World War, most of them were men. The total number is 20 million people.

Public Holiday

The first military parade took place on Red Square on June 24. Marshal Zhukov received him. The parade was commanded by Rokossovsky. Regiments from the following fronts marched across Red Square:

Leningradsky;
Belarusian;
Ukrainian;
Karelsky.

Period of oblivion

In 1965, in the year of the 20th anniversary, Victory Day (May 9) was restored and again recognized as a national holiday. Many regions of the Soviet Union held their own parades. And this day ended with the usual fireworks display for everyone.

Victory Day

How is Victory Day celebrated in Russia?

An invariable attribute of the Victory Day holiday

Over the years, the holiday acquired its own traditions. In 1965, the banner was carried out at a parade dedicated to the great date. It remained an unchanged attribute of the holiday, which symbolized Victory Day. This banner is still extremely significant today: parades are still full of red banners. Since 1965, the original Victory attribute was replaced with a copy. The first banner can be seen in the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Heroes are winners

Let's remember our ancestors

The memory of the departed is priceless. The heroism of the victors of World War II cannot be assessed. We do not know all these great people by name. But what they accomplished cannot be measured by any material benefit. Even without knowing their names, our generation remembers them not only on Victory Day. We say words of gratitude every day for our peaceful existence. The largest number of flowers - an expressed evidence of people's memory and admiration - is at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Eternal Flame always burns here, as if to say that although names remain unknown, human feats are immortal.

The Second World War left a huge and unforgettable mark on the history of our country. For 70 years now, we have been annually remembering this great May. Victory Day is a special holiday on which the memory of those who died is honored. In the vastness of Russia, a lot of memorials dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War have been created. And all monuments are different. There are both inconspicuous obelisks in small villages and huge monuments in large cities.

Here are some famous buildings throughout the country and the world dedicated to WWII soldiers:

Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow.
Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd.
Heroes Square in Novorossiysk.
Alley of Heroes in St. Petersburg.
Eternal Flame of Glory in Novgorod.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and much more.

Celebration with tears in your eyes

This significant and at the same time mournful holiday cannot be separated from the song “Victory Day”. It contains these lines:

"This Victory Day
The smell of gunpowder
This is a holiday
With gray hair at the temples.
This is joy
With tears in his eyes…"

This song is a kind of symbol of the great date - May 9. Victory Day is never complete without it.

In March 1975, V. Kharitonov and D. Tukhmanov wrote a song dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The country was preparing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany, and the Union of Composers of the USSR announced a competition to create the best song on the theme of heroic events. A few days before the end of the competition, the work was written. It was performed at the last audition of the competition by D. Tukhmanov’s wife, poet and singer T. Sashko. But the song did not immediately become popular. It was only in November 1975, at a festival dedicated to Police Day, that the song performed by L. Leshchenko was remembered by the listener. After that, she gained the love of the whole country.

There are other performers of the famous “Victory Day”. This:

I. Kobzon;
M. Magomaev;
Yu. Bogatikov;
E. Piekha et al.

Victory Day will forever remain that holiday for Russians, which they celebrate with bated breath and tears in their eyes. Eternal memory to the heroes!

9 May 2017, 09:35

Victory 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 in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 is celebrated not only in Russia, but also in the former Soviet republics and many European countries.

2014 marks 69 years since the Soviet army defeated Germany in this long and bloody war.

Victory Day - the history of the holiday

The final stage of the war was the Berlin operation, in which more than two and a half million Soviet soldiers took part, seven and a half thousand aircraft, more than six thousand tanks and self-propelled guns were involved. It is difficult to imagine what sacrifices this victory cost our country. According to some reports, during the operation the Red Army lost more than fifteen thousand soldiers every day. While fulfilling their duty, a total of 352 thousand people died during the Berlin operation.

Tanks were brought into the city, but there were so many of them that wide maneuvers were impossible - this made Soviet equipment vulnerable to German anti-tank weapons. Tanks became easy targets. In two weeks of the operation, a third of tanks and self-propelled guns (almost two thousand units of equipment), more than two thousand mortars and guns were lost. However, the Berlin operation brought victory to the Red Army. Soviet troops defeated seventy enemy infantry, twelve tank and eleven motorized divisions. About four hundred eighty thousand opponents were captured.

So, on the evening of May 8, the act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed. This happened at 22:43 Central European time and at 00:43 Moscow time. The act came into force at 1:00 Moscow time. Therefore, in European countries Victory Day is celebrated on May 8, and in Russia on the 9th. It is interesting that, although the act of surrender was adopted, the Soviet Union continued to officially remain at war with Germany until 1955, when the corresponding decision was made by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

On May 9, a plane landed at the Frunze Central Airfield in Moscow, bringing the act of German surrender to the capital. The Victory Parade took place on Red Square on June 24. The parade was hosted by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, and Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky commanded the parade. The combined regiments of the fronts marched through the square in a solemn march. The commanders of armies and fronts walked ahead, Heroes of the Soviet Union carried banners.

In 1945, Stalin signed a decree making May 9 a public holiday and a day off. However, already in 1948, Victory Day became a working day. Parades and celebrations resumed only in 1965. At this time, the holiday of May 9 finally became a day off again.

Victory Day - holiday traditions

The first Victory Day was celebrated like never before in history. On the streets people hugged and kissed each other. Many were crying. On the evening of May 9, a Victory salute was given in Moscow, the largest in the entire history of the USSR: thirty salvos from a thousand guns. Since then, Victory Day has been and remains one of the most important and revered holidays in Russia and the CIS.

According to tradition, on this day volunteers hand out St. George ribbons on the streets - a symbol of the holiday. Veterans and young people tie them as a sign of memory of the war and the connection between generations. Victory Day, as a rule, begins with a parade and the laying of flowers and centuries at the monuments of the Great Patriotic War. On this day, veterans are honored, festive concerts are organized for them, and gifts are given to them. Educational institutions conduct lessons on courage and remember the war and its heroes.