Russia makes much of its victory over Hitler as in the last 100 years, it was about the only thing they got right. If you don't count 20 million dead. Many of them to Stalin's incompetence as a military commander and many of them to Stalin's forced deportation of millions of people to east of the Urals, where a third to half died (on the way or after arrival). We are still inundated with WWII movies on TV. New ones and old ones.
So today the veterans are honoured and the dead remembered in parades and at memorials across the countries. These working girls from a cartoon in the local paper are doing their part. The sign reads: Holiday Special: Veterans of Great Patriotic War 30% discount. The hopeful young man is inquiring if they have student rates.
Here VE Day is mentioned on the news or in newspapers but not a holiday. May 8 is the 65th anniversary of VE Day. I looked it up and saw that Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9 because by Moscow time the official surrender was May 9.
ReplyDeleteNow, with all the books I read on WWII and that is a lot, I never knew that before. Until I started coming to Ukraine, I was vaguely aware of a VE day. In 1997, I was in Kyiv for VE Day on May 9 and so I remember that date. Thanks DC.
ReplyDeleteI wish it was more mentioned here.
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