Victory Day at the Motherland Call Monument, Russia. Photo: Sputnik Victory Day at the Motherland Call Monument, Russia. (Photo: Sputnik)

Victory Day persists as Russian symbol of the defeat of Nazism

Originally published: teleSUR English on May 8, 2026 by Silvana Solano (more by teleSUR English)  | (Posted May 11, 2026)
Empire, WarEurope, Germany, RussiaNewswire

The conclusion of World War II was a pivotal moment in modern history. In particular, Russia and several former Soviet republics mark the event on May 9. This date, known as Victory Day, marks the definitive surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945.

It is crucial to understand the reasons why this date is celebrated and the specific events that led to it. This provides essential context for the current geopolitical landscape and the shared memory of millions of people across Eurasia.

Victory Day is a commemorative day that pays tribute to the conclusion of the Great Patriotic War, the term used in the former Soviet Union to describe the conflict on the Eastern Front.

This theatre of war was characterized by its immense scale and the staggering loss of life. For many families, 9 May is not just a state holiday, but a deeply personal day of remembrance for ancestors who fought in a struggle that shaped the 20th century.

On this day, large-scale military parades and public gatherings are held, and a growing grassroots movement that honors the personal stories of veterans is in evidence.

The Events of May 1945: A Tale of Two Surrenders

The reason for the discrepancy between the Western and Eastern dates of celebration is due to the logistics of the surrender ceremonies. On 7 May 1945, a preliminary act of unconditional surrender was signed in Reims, France, before Allied commanders.

However, the Soviet leadership, under Joseph Stalin, insisted that the final surrender take place in Berlin, the center of the Nazi regime. They argued that the Soviet Union, having borne the brunt of the land war in Europe, deserved a formal ceremony in the captured German capital.

This second, definitive signing took place late on the night of May 8, 1945, at a military villa in the Berlin suburb of Karlshorst. The document was signed by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel on behalf of the German High Command and Marshal Georgy Zhukov on behalf of the Soviet Union.

By the time the signing was completed and the ceasefire came into effect, it was already past midnight in Moscow. Consequently, while the news reached London and New York on 8 May, the official announcement in the Soviet Union was made on the morning of 9 May.

The military reality of the time underscores the vital importance of this ceremony from the Soviet perspective. By May 1945, the Red Army had already captured Berlin after a brutal and decisive campaign. The Eastern Front had been the site of the war’s largest battles, including Stalingrad and Kursk, which effectively broke the power of the German military. It is a widely accepted fact among historians that the majority of German military casualties occurred on the Eastern Front. This fact made the Berlin surrender a symbolic and practical necessity in order to mark the end of the “Great War”.

Why the Victory Day Symbol Outlived the USSR

The survival of Victory Day as a major cultural event long after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 is a unique sociological phenomenon. Although many Soviet-era holidays were discarded or renamed, May 9th grew in importance across Russia and several neighboring countries.

The day is of particular significance to most families in the former Soviet republics, as it is a collective moment of remembrance for those who were killed, wounded or displaced during the war.

A significant factor in this longevity is the “Immortal Regiment” movement. This grassroots initiative, which began in the early 2000s, involves millions of people marching through city streets carrying enlarged photographs of their relatives who served in the war.

By centering on individual faces and family trees, the holiday has maintained its relevance for younger generations who have no living memory of the Soviet state. For many, Victory Day represents a rare point of historical consensus, a moment of undisputed moral clarity, and a victory for human survival against a genocidal threat.

The European Fracture: Diverging Perspectives and Censorship

As geopolitical tensions have evolved in the 21st century, Europe’s perspective on May 9th has become increasingly divided. In Germany, the day is generally observed as the “Day of Liberation” (Tag der Befreiung). The official German position acknowledges that the defeat of the Nazi regime by the Allied powers was a necessary liberation for the German people themselves.

However, the tone is serious and reflective, centering on national remorse and the victims of the Holocaust rather than military achievement. In recent years, public displays associated with the Soviet victory have faced stricter regulations in German cities to prevent political friction.

In other regions of Eastern and Central Europe, a more direct form of censorship has emerged. Some countries, including Poland, the Baltic States, and, more recently, Ukraine, have adopted a policy of distancing themselves from May 9th.

This process is often referred to as “de-communization.” In these regions, governments have dismantled Soviet-era monuments and banned symbols such as the red flag and the orange-and-black Ribbon of St. George.

This shift has led to May 9th becoming a contested site of memory, with one perspective viewing it as a celebration of the defeat of fascism and the other as a symbol of a different era of geopolitical control.

The Role of the Western Film Industry in Reshaping Public Perception

The cinematic representation of World War II has played a significant role in shaping global perceptions of the conflict. For many years, the Hollywood film industry has focused its attention on the Western Front as a major setting for its narratives.

Major productions such as Saving Private Ryan, Dunkirk, and Band of Brothers have become the primary educational tools for many people regarding the history of war. While these films are often praised for their technical realism, they focus on American and British operations, such as the D-Day landings in Normandy, while rarely mentioning the scale of the conflict in the East.

Research into public opinion highlights the effectiveness of this cultural influence. Surveys conducted in France by the IFOP institute indicate a significant shift in historical perception: in 1945, the majority of the French public attributed the greatest contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union.

By 2015, following decades of Western film dominance, the majority of respondents credited the United States. This “soft power” effect has effectively shifted the focus from the Eastern Front, where the German army suffered the majority of its losses, to the liberation of Western Europe.

Documentary evidence and academic studies on the “Pentagon-Hollywood connection” suggest that this is not entirely accidental. The Department of Defense’s Entertainment Media Office is one of the organizations that provides equipment and funding to films that align with specific national narratives.

By placing the emphasis on the “Anglo-American hero” and disregarding the Soviet role, the industry has produced a version of history that is free of controversy and aligns with current geopolitical alliances.

This has resulted in a cultural environment where the celebration of May 9th is regarded as a foreign or purely political event, rather than a commemoration of a shared victory over fascism.

Reconciling History and Memory

The 9th of May is a date that is still the subject of much debate. For millions of people, it is an essential moment of historical justice, a day to honor the immense sacrifice required to stop the spread of Nazi ideology.

It commemorates a factual military victory that brought the most destructive war in history to a conclusion, and serves as a vital anchor for the identity of many nations in the East.

However, as the article has explored, the memory of this victory is currently under pressure from several directions. Recent political developments in Europe have resulted in the removal of symbols that were previously regarded as representing liberation.

In response, the Western film industry has significantly revised the narrative of the war for a global audience. These factors have transformed May 9th from a universal celebration of victory into a point of deep ideological tension.

May 9th serves as a poignant reminder of the significant costs associated with maintaining peace, and the role of narratives in shaping our collective memory of these costs.

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