One war – one victory

On the eve of the Victory Day in World War II, events around the world have already begun to celebrate the next anniversary.

So, about fifty immigrants from the countries of the former Soviet Union living in New York marched through Manhattan and Brooklyn with photographs of their relatives, who were front-line soldiers. They laid flowers at the Brooklyn War Memorial. The action was organized by volunteers who regularly visit veterans.
In all cities of Israel, festive events were held with the participation of veterans, representatives of youth movements and local authorities. The “Immortal Regiment” took place “live” in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Bat Yam, Petah Tikva, Beer Sheva, Dimona. Their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren walked along with the front-line soldiers. Songs of the war years sounded in the streets. For the first time, a unit of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) of the Northern Military District took part in the march. Former blockade repatriates gathered in the Jerusalem memorial complex “Yad Vashem”, in other regions of the Jewish state the participants of the Second World War also met and laid flowers at the monuments. In Netanya, the mayor of the city Miriam Fayrberg joined the commemorative action.

In Germany, as such, the Immortal Regiment procession was not due to quarantine restrictions, but many Berliners came with portraits of their ancestors to Soviet war memorials in Pankow, Tiergarten and especially in Treptower Park, where real folk festivities took place. Among those who, together with Russian diplomats, came to pay tribute to the winners and to lay wreaths and flowers at their graves, there were also Germans. Among them are members of some political parties, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany Miguel Berger, director of the Brandenburg Memorials Foundation Axel Drekoll, head of the German People’s Union for the Care of War Burials Wolfgang Schneiderhan, and search volunteers.

The first monument in memory of the Second World War was unveiled in India. A brown granite stele with a star and the inscription “1941-1945” appeared in the residential town of the Russian Embassy.

A festive parade was held at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. The ceremonial crews of the Syrian forces and the military of the Syrian Arab Republic marched together. The parade was attended by over a thousand military personnel (including a female crew) and 84 pieces of equipment.

Of course, Victory Day was celebrated in the republics of the former USSR. In Ukraine – in Kiev, Odessa and some other cities, where people also marched in the ranks of the “Immortal Regiment” and brought flowers to the monuments, it was not without provocations of local nationalists. In some places they tried to snatch the ribbons of St. George from passers-by or make Nazi greetings, as reported by the Ukrainian media.