VE-Day; a German perspective
May 8th 1945 – Germany’s Wehrmacht unconditionally surrendered and all hostilities were stopped from 11:01pm. World War Two was over, at least in Europe. For the allied forces including Britain this was the day of victory or “Victory in Europe Day”. A day to celebrate victory over Nazi Germany, and the end of so much destruction and killing.
Judging from the many events I have read about being planned for this date in the UK this year (and which due to COVD-19 are now taking place in a very different shape and form) for the British this day is reason to celebrate even 75 years later, and be nostalgic. Being German this feels slightly bewildering and at odds with the feelings this day brings up for me.
I presume that 75 years ago many Germans felt an array of probably conflicting emotions. Whether one had or had not believed in the NS regime it was a day of defeat that meant the country being occupied by allied forces and for some it also involved captivity as a prisoner of war and expulsion. However, it also meant an end to a war that less and less Germans supported towards the end.
Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker’s speech during the Ceremony commemorating the 40th anniversary of the End of War in Europe and of National-Socialist Tyranny on 8 May 1985 at the Bundestag was received very positively in Germany as well as abroad. He was the first German politician to call the 8th of May a day of liberation as opposed to a day of defeat.
“…the 8th of May was a day of liberation. It liberated all of us from the inhumanity and tyranny of the National-Socialist regime.”
This certainly resonates with me but “liberation” has a passiveness to it that avoids facing any responsibility the majority of Germans had.
It was not only the select few who were responsible for the ‘success’ of the NS regime, as a consequence causing unimaginable suffering, murders, and destruction during its 12 years in power. Suffering that for some Germans only started after the war had ended and they fled their home or were expelled.
May 8th – a day of defeat and a day of liberation.
Much more than this, though, May 8th for me is a day of sadness and a day of remembrance.
A day to remember the unimaginable suffering of so many because of a people following the path of inhumanity, greed and delusions of grandeur.
A day to remember that no matter how difficult and at times even horrific our choice might be we have a responsibility and are accountable for our actions and inactions.
A day to remind myself to be vigilant and alert, and to take responsibility even when this might be challenging.; hoping that I have the courage to do so.
