VE Day is celebrated across most western European states who fought on the side of the Allies on May 8, with several countries observing memorial services, ceremonies and even public holidays to commemorate the end of history's bloodiest conflict. This year, the government of Germany's capital Berlin have declared a regional holiday to mark the 75th anniversary of surrender.
While the German forces formally surrendered on May 8, many eastern European states commemorate VE Day a day later, on May 9. So does the State of Israel. But why?
An official day of celebration to mark the end of the World War II in Europe was an initiative brought to Israel during the 1990s, and the massive wave of immigration from the former Soviet bloc – over 1 million immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Israel in the decade following the collapse of the USSR. Many of those who came to Israel were Red Army veterans who had fought in the war and wanted to carry on native traditions.
Russia and its former satellite states hold VE Day on May 9 because while the actual German surrender was signed May 7, all hostilities ceased at 23:01 the following day – May 8, 1945, just an hour before midnight. Since that time was already May 9 in the USSR, most Soviet states celebrated Victory Day on May 9.
In 2000, the Knesset officially passed the Status of World War II Veterans Law, which set the date for Israel's VE Day celebrations.
Although celebrations have been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, the holiday commemorations usually begin in Israel with an auto rally from Metulla in the far North to Eilat, beginning at 4 a.m. to commemorate the launch Operation Barbarossa, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.
Yad Vashem holds a memorial ceremony by the Memorial to the Jewish Soldiers and Partisans, and a wreath is being placed by the Jewish National Fund and Red Army veterans in Kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamisha where there is a plaque that reads “The citizens of Israel planted this forest in honor of the Red Army.”
A ceremony is also usually held at the Victory in Europe monument in Netanya. Marches are also held in the heavily Russian-speaking areas of Bat Yam and Ashdod and end with a Red Army veterans' march on May 14 in Jerusalem.
It is estimated that around 250,000 Jewish soldiers died in World War II on both sides of the conflict.