Victory Day

Victory Day in Russia

 One of the most remarkable public events in my country is the Victory Day. It is traditionally celebrated on the 9th of May. This patriotic holiday commemorates the victory of the USSR over the Nazi Germany. Every year in honour of this day in all cities across the country lots of cheerful parades and celebrations are held. Despite the fact that the holiday is celebrated in a flamboyant way, May 9 is a sad day for the majority of our population. Many people have lost their loved ones and close relatives during this ruthless war. From one hand everyone is happy that the country wasn’t occupied by the fascist invaders, from the other hand everyone grieves over their loss. On this day we are grateful to our saviors, to those who sacrificed their lives for us. That’s why we try to celebrate this day with honours. Some part of younger generation doesn’t understand the importance of this event, which I think is disrespectful. In my opinion, the Victory Day is one of the greatest holidays during the year. Some of my ancestors also took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1945, and I’m proud of them..

Many people attend a local military parade and watch the fireworks at night on Victory Day. The biggest parade is in Moscow’s Red Square, showcasing Russia’s military forces. Most veterans wear their medals as they head to the parade or an event organized by a local veteran organization.

What do people do?

Another tradition is to give flowers, usually red carnations, to veterans in the street and to lay wreaths at the war memorial sites. Neighborhood schools may host a program prepared by the students, featuring wartime songs and poetry.

At home, families gather around a festive table to honor surviving witnesses of World War II and remember those who passed away. They may also watch a favorite Soviet film based on the events of World War II, which is also known as the Great Patriotic War. These films are repeated each year but the audience seems to never grow tired of them.

Public Life

Victory Day is a national holiday in Russia. Public offices, schools and most businesses are closed for the celebrations. There may be changes in public transport routes due to parades and street performances.

Background

Victory Day marks Germany’s surrender to the Soviet Union in 1945. It became the end of the Great Patriotic War for the USSR, which lost about 25 million citizens in the four years of fighting. Interestingly, until its 20th anniversary (May 9, 1965), Victory Day was not a major holiday, unlike, for instance, May 1, and was considered a work day. Apart from the anniversaries in 1965 and 1985, Victory Day celebrations in the Soviet Union did not feature a military parade. This tradition started in 1995.

Update: In October 2012, Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree that would extend the Victory Day Celebrations from Thursday, May 9, 2013 to Sunday, May 12, 2013.

Symbols

Common symbols of Victory Day in Russia are:

• St. George ribbon – people wear this black-and-yellow ribbon on their clothes or tie it to car antennas as a sign of respect and remembrance.
• Red carnations – blood red is the color of the Soviet flag under which the veterans had fought. Laying an even number of red carnations at war memorial sites signifies mourning and remembrance.
• Red Star medal – a military distinction for bravery.

The St George ribbon, red carnations and the Red Star medal are seen on Victory Day.