<h4 style="text-align: start">Bicycle tour: From Tempelhof Airport to Karlshorst – The Allies’ route to the signing of the capitulation</h4>On 8 May 1945, the delegations of the victorious powers and the German Wehrmacht landed at Tempelhof Airport to sign the surrender. From there, they travelled through the destroyed city of Berlin to the eastern district of Karlshorst. The surrender was to take place in the Soviet headquarters, a former Wehrmacht officers’ mess.A bicycle tour of around 15 kilometres follows this historic route. During an introduction at the starting point, participants can learn more about the history of the end of the war in Berlin at the time. A route map provides in-depth information on interesting points along the way.Start time: 10 amMeeting point: Platz der Luftbrücke 5 / forecourt of the former departure hall of Tempelhof AirportRegistration is required at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:kontakt@museum-karlshorst.de">kontakt@museum-karlshorst.de</a>. The number of participants is limited.<h4 style="text-align: start">Opening of the photo exhibition ‘The last year of the war. June 1944-May 1945 from the perspective of Soviet war photographers’ 11 am</h4>Photo correspondents from the various Soviet republics captured the advance of the Red Army in pictures. In the exhibition, more than 50 photographs document this route at different sections of the front – from Karelia via Estonia and Lithuania, Belarus and the Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Serbia, East Prussia, Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia to the east of the German Reich. They show destruction and human suffering, the Majdanek concentration and extermination camp liberated by the Red Army, the march of German prisoners of war through Moscow, as well as the successive ends of the war in Bucharest, Belgrade, Katowice, Budapest, Königsberg and Danzig.The photographs of the surrender of the Wehrmacht in Berlin-Karlshorst, the victory celebrations in Leningrad and Prague and the meeting of American and Soviet soldiers and officers mark the end of the Second World War in Europe in the exhibition.<h4 style="text-align: start">Commented film screening in the cinema – The signing of the capitulation in historical film footage 12.30 pm / 3.30 pm / 5 pm</h4>Correspondents from various countries reported on the signing of the capitulation on 8 May in Berlin-Karlshorst. The journalistic documentation of the day using photos and film footage is rich in detail. It begins, for example, with the arrival of the delegations of the victorious powers at Tempelhof Airport or accompanies their journey to Karlshorst through the destroyed city of Berlin.<h4 style="text-align: start">Short guided tours on the historic site of the surrender on 8 May 1945</h4>Guided tours in German: 10 am / 11 am / 2.30 pm / 4.30 pm / 6 pm Guided tours in English: 1 pm / 3.30 pm / 5.30 pm Guided tour in Russian: 12 noon / 3 pm / 5 pm Guided tour in Ukrainian: 2 pm / 4 pmIt is not necessary to book in advance to take part in the guided tour.<h4 style="text-align: start">New presentation of the exhibition ‘The German surrender in May 1945’ 10 am – 7 pm</h4>To mark the 80th anniversary, the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst has revised the special exhibition ‘The German Surrender in May 1945’. It is being presented in a new form in the museum garden. It examines the historical events surrounding the end of the war in Europe and Germany’s unconditional surrender.<h4 style="text-align: start">Opinions on the tank memorial – talks with museum staff on the history and meaning of Soviet monuments 10 am – 6 pm</h4>The tank memorial on the grounds of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is one of many Soviet monuments in Germany. Their role and perception today is multifaceted. In conversation with museum staff, visitors have the opportunity to discuss the role of such monuments in the European culture of remembrance and learn about different perspectives.<h4 style="text-align: start">Reading café – The end of the war in Europe in international newspapers 10 am -6.30 pm</h4>The news of the capitulation of the German Reich travelled around the world. Historical newspapers and magazines bear witness to this event. In the reading café – in the museum’s winter garden – visitors are invited to look through international press products over coffee and cake.<h4 style="text-align: start">Evening event: The commemoration of 8 May. The changing role of the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum 7 pm</h4>With: Prof Dr Thomas Sandkühler (Humboldt University of Berlin) Dr Gintarė Malinauskaitė (Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius) Dr Jörg Morré (Museum Berlin-Karlshorst) Moderation: Ingo Hoppe (radio journalist, Berlin)To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is holding a discussion event to examine the significance of 8 May. The way in which this date is perceived and commemorated has changed over the decades – characterised by social, political and cultural developments. These changes not only influence the collective remembrance of the end of the war, but also the role of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.The event is focusing on the development of commemorative practices, the significance of the museum and the changing perspectives on the end of the war. What challenges arise today for a diverse culture of remembrance? And what impulses can the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst provide in the current debate?To attend the evening lecture, please register at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:kontakt@museum-karlshorst.de">kontakt@museum-karlshorst.de</a>. The number of places is limited.

Germany

80 years – End of the Second World War in Europe

Moment 1: Commemorating and celebrating the liberation of the southern Netherlands12 September marks the start of the national celebration of 80 years of freedom. On this day in 1944, the liberation of the Netherlands began in Mesch in Limburg. Zeeland, Brabant and part of Gelderland soon followed. The liberation was accompanied by fierce fighting, many casualties and a winter of famine. Eventually, the whole of the Netherlands was liberated on 5 May 1945. A few months later, on 15 August of that same year, World War II came to an end in what was then the Dutch East Indies and thus the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2024 and 2025, we will celebrate and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands and the fact that we have been living in freedom since the end of World War II.&nbsp;Moment 2: Commemorating the HolocaustDuring World War II (1940-1945), the Nazis murdered nearly 6 million Jews. They also persecuted and murdered Roma and Sinti, Jehovah’s Witnesses, people with physical or mental disabilities, homosexuals and political opponents. In January, we reflect on these victims.&nbsp;We commemorate their persecution and murder 80 years ago. We will do so on 26 January, during the National Holocaust Remembrance Day in Amsterdam, as well as on other occasions.&nbsp;Moment 3: Commemorating and celebrating the liberation of the east and north of the NetherlandsEighty years ago, in April 1945, allied soldiers advanced towards the north and east of the Netherlands to also liberate the provinces of South Holland, North Holland, Utrecht, Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen. While the south of the Netherlands had already been liberated, the occupied part of the country had to endure a long, hard winter of famine. Partly with the help of the resistance, mainly Canadian soldiers managed to liberate large parts of the country.&nbsp;Moment 4: National Remembrance and Liberation Celebration on 4 and 5 MayEvey year during the National Remembrance Day on 4 May, we remember the victims of World War II and of war situations and peacekeeping operations thereafter. At 8pm, there will be a 2-minute moment of silence throughout the Netherlands. On 5 May, we celebrate the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945 and the fact that we have been living in freedom ever since.&nbsp;On that day, we also reflect on the value of freedom, democracy and human rights.&nbsp;Moment 5: Commemorating and celebrating the end of World War IIOn 15 August, we remember the end of World War II for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and commemorate all the victims of the war against Japan and the Japanese occupation of the then Dutch East Indies. These wartime experiences and the large-scale displacement that followed after liberation continue to affect our society to this day.

The Netherlands

80 years of freedom in 5 moments

Poland

Gedenktag an der Festung Kostrzyn 

In the municipality of Geldrop – Mierlo, the official ceremony is held at the British War Cemetery. In collaboration with the Municipality and the Oranje Committee Mierlo, the “De Drie Harten” foundation organizes the commemoration at the British War Cemetery on Geldropseweg. During this event, not only are those who fell during World War II remembered, but also those who continue to fight for peace today. Thanks to the contributions of the mayor, a representative of the municipal council, clergy, scouting groups, musical bands, choirs, the Guilds of Geldrop-Mierlo, and speakers, a solemn commemoration takes place every year.

Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day)

In 2025 we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II (1945-2025). This is why the Historical Research Group of the Rhineland-Palatinate Germany/IG Heimatforschung Rheinland-Pfalz, decided to initiate a special memorial march for all soldiers of World War II in 2025. For soldiers of all nationalities, whether male or female, whether Allied or belonging to the Axis powers: everyone fought for their country, everyone had a family, everyone made great sacrifices. No one will be forgotten! Enemies then, friends today! This is a Remembrance march in the name of international understanding.This 100km remembrance march will be executed as so-called "semi-tactical evasion march", with almost no water, food or gear, except your evasion/survival kit (survival ration, water filter etc.).Many aircraft crews who parachuted out of their aircraft found themselves behind enemy lines after their plane was shot down. Those who could, tried to “fight” (and walk) their way back to their own lines. Their route was almost always long, full of adversities and hardship.The start of the World war II Escape Evasion &amp; Remembrance March is at the crash site of an English bomber that crashed in World War II near Ludwigshafen am Rhein. Only one crew member survived the crash by means of parachute. After the crash site was examined by the IG Heimatforschung, a memorial stone was erected there on September 23, 2023. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ig-heimatforschung.de/projekte-allg/world-war-ii-memorial-project/">World War II Memorial Project - IG-Heimatforschung Rheinland-Pfalz / Historical Research Community Rhineland-Palatinate Germany</a>The finish will be in Lauterbourg, France (allied lines in 1945)During the march there will be ten checkpoints/coordinates that will lead past Allied, German and French memorials (e.g. various Allied plane crash sites, the former Rheinwiesenlager near Ludwigshafen, the former battlefield in the Bienwald, etc.). At the memorial sites, there is time to pause and pay due respect to the victims before continuing on to the French border. The checkpoints and planned route will be made available to participants via the Komoot hiking app (link) for download and navigation on your cell phones, so that the planned route can be navigated very easily. Additional navigation aids are optional.This 100km march must be completed within 24 hours (similar to well-known 100km marches such as the 100km Totenkopfmarsch/Dodentocht in Belgium, the Mammutmarsch in Germany, etc.). No problem for anyone without physical disabilities. The main thing is to train and prepare.If you have two legs and the right attitude, you can do it.Surprise yourself and your friends. And grow with your progress! If you manage the 100km within 24 hours, nothing else can stop you! Believe in yourself! 100km are hard? Fighting in war is hard! Maybe you can imagine what the men, women and families experienced back then, but only to a certain extent. Show them the respect they deserve by taking part in this march. Leave your comfort zone for just one day and push yourself to the limit!Do you have what it takes to be a 100km Long Distance Evader?Pain is temporary. Pride is forever!Follow the link for more details: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ig-heimatforschung.de/projekte-allg/100km-24-std-world-war-ii-escape-evasion-remembrance-march/">https://www.ig-heimatforschung.de/projekte-allg/100km-24-std-world-war-ii-escape-evasion-remembrance-march/</a>

100k/24h Escape Evasion & Remembrance March - 100km/62 miles from Germany to France!

Regionale Indië-herdenking15 augustus 1945 betekende het einde van de tweede wereld oorlog door de bombardementen op Hiroshima en Nagasaki capituleerde Japan. Dit betekende ook het einde van de Japanse bezetting in het Nederlandse overzeese gebied. &nbsp;We herdenken daarom vandaag op deze plaats de slachtoffers van die Japanse bezetting. Een bezetting die duurde van 8 december 1941 tot 15 augustus 1945.De namen van 30 omgekomen slachtoffers, afkomstig uit West Zeeuws-Vlaanderen zullen opgelezen worden.

Regionale Indië-herdenking

<h3 style="text-align: start">Tuesday 6 May:</h3><ul><li>An installation of ceramic poppies will return to the Tower of London to mark the anniversary. Nearly 30,000 of the original poppies from the 2014 display at the Tower, which commemorated the centenary of the First World War, will be displayed in a new installation within the walls of the fortress. This poppies installation will resemble a ‘wound’ at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Blitz and still bears some of those scars today.&nbsp; It will mark and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War.</li><li>Historic landmarks across the UK will be lit up this evening.</li></ul>

United Kingdom

Cenotaph draped in Union Flags, Westminster Abbey service, concert and Flypast among plans unveiled to mark VE Day 80

<h3 style="text-align: start">Thursday 8 May:</h3><ul><li>A service will take place at Westminster Abbey that will be both an act of shared remembrance and a celebration of the end of the war. It will be a moment to give thanks and to honour a generation that showed extraordinary courage and resilience.</li><li>The events will conclude with a concert at the historic Horseguards Parade to finish the VE Day 80 commemorations in a celebratory tone, echoing how the nation reacted to the news 80 years before. With more than 10,000 members of the public in attendance, the concert will feature stars of stage and screen and military musicians and tell the story of victory and the legacy of the Second World War in Europe.</li></ul>

In May 1945, World War II ended in Europe, bringing an end to the terror regime of National Socialism. Eighty years later, the Elbe-Röder-Dreieck remembers this time with a series of commemorative events. The final days of the war were marked by immense suffering and violence. Until the very end, thousands of forced laborers were subjected to exhausting labor, particularly on farms and in the steel industry. At the same time, death marches passed through the region, accompanied by atrocities such as mass executions and targeted killings.Due to its strategic location along the Elbe River, the Elbe-Röder-Dreieck became a focal point in the war’s final days. As the Red Army advanced, countless refugees sought to cross the river. A tragic moment occurred on April 22, 1945, when the Elbe Bridge between Strehla and Lorenzkirch was destroyed. Shortly after, on April 23, 1945, the prisoner-of-war camp in Zeithain was liberated. On April 25, soldiers of the U.S. Army and the Red Army met for the first time in Strehla, Lorenzkirch, and Kreinitz—a moment that remains largely unknown today, while the later meeting in Torgau entered world history.Program Overview – 80 Years Since the End of the War<ul><li>Sunday, April 13, 2025 / 10:00 AM – 12:45 PM: Bus tour: The End of the War Along the Elbe</li><li>Thursday, April 17, 2025 / 4:00 PM: Commemoration of the Murdered Concentration Camp Prisoners in Koselitz</li><li>Saturday, April 19, 2025 / 2:00 PM: Commemorative Event in Glaubitz (Death March from Leipzig)</li><li>Wednesday, April 23, 2025 / 10:30 AM / 11:15 AM: Commemoration Ceremony – Liberation of the STALAG IV B Prisoner-of-War Camp in Mühlberg/Elbe</li><li>Wednesday, April 23, 2025 / 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Commemoration Ceremony – Liberation of the Prisoner-of-War Camp in Zeithain</li><li>Thursday, April 24, 2025 / 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Bus Tour to Key Historical Sites in the region</li><li>Friday, April 25, 2025 / 1:50 PM – 6:00 PM: 80th Anniversary – Day of Encounter at the Elbe (Lorenzkirch &amp; Strehla)</li><li>Friday, April 25, 2025 / 5:30 PM: Commemoration Ceremony in Kreinitz</li><li>Tuesday, April 29, 2025 / 5:00 PM: Kriegssplitter: Kriegsende im Raum Riesa – Zeithain (Lecture in German)</li><li>Tuesday, May 6, 2025 / 6:00 PM: Kriegssplitter: Das Kriegsende im Raum Riesa-Großenhain vor 80 Jahren (Lecture in German)</li></ul>Some events require registration. Please check <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.elbe-roeder.de/80jahre">www.elbe-roeder.de/80jahre</a> for details (in German).For inquiries: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:steuer@elbe-roeder.de">steuer@elbe-roeder.de</a>

80 years – End of the Second World War in Europe

80 years of freedom in 5 moments

Gedenktag an der Festung Kostrzyn

Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day)

100k/24h Escape Evasion & Remembrance March - 100km/62 miles from Germany to France!

Regionale Indië-herdenking

Cenotaph draped in Union Flags, Westminster Abbey service, concert and Flypast among plans unveiled to mark VE Day 80

Cenotaph draped in Union Flags, Westminster Abbey service, concert and Flypast among plans unveiled to mark VE Day 80

80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Elbe-Röder-Dreieck

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80 years – End of the Second World War in Europe

80 years of freedom in 5 moments

Gedenktag an der Festung Kostrzyn

Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day)

100k/24h Escape Evasion & Remembrance March - 100km/62 miles from Germany to France!

Regionale Indië-herdenking

Cenotaph draped in Union Flags, Westminster Abbey service, concert and Flypast among plans unveiled to mark VE Day 80

Cenotaph draped in Union Flags, Westminster Abbey service, concert and Flypast among plans unveiled to mark VE Day 80

80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Elbe-Röder-Dreieck

Inscrivez votre événement sur Europe Remembers