When in the USSR they began to celebrate May 9. Victory Day in Russia: the history and traditions of the holiday

Victory Day is celebrated on May 9 - in 2019 they will celebrate the 74th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Victory Day is a holiday that marks the end of a murderous war that claimed the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians.

The Victory Day will forever remain in history and will always remind of those bloody events and the great defeat of the Nazi troops.

Victory Day

The Great Patriotic War - an integral part of the Second World War (1939-1945), began at dawn on June 22, 1941. On this day, Nazi Germany treacherously attacked the Soviet Union, violating the Soviet-German treaties concluded in 1939.

In the hostilities, which lasted almost four years and became the largest armed clash in the history of mankind, during various periods of the war, from eight to 13 million people fought simultaneously on both sides, from seven to 19 thousand aircraft, from six to 20 thousand tanks and assault guns, from 85 to 165 thousand guns and mortars.

The invaders planned to win a quick victory, but they miscalculated - the Soviet troops exhausted the enemy in bloody battles, forced him to go on the defensive on the entire German-Soviet front, and then inflicted a number of major defeats on the enemy.

Nazi Germany signed the act of unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945 at 22:43 CET (at 00:43, May 9, Moscow time) in the suburbs of Berlin - it entered into force on the same day at 23:01.

The ninth of May, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was declared the Day of Victory over Nazi Germany and "the day of national triumph."

The first Victory Day was celebrated like no other holiday in modern history. Popular festivities and crowded rallies took place everywhere. Orchestras played in parks and squares of cities and villages, popular theater and film artists, as well as amateur art groups performed.

On this historic day, Joseph Stalin, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, addressed the Soviet people. Late evening

Moscow was lit up by the Victory salute - 30 victorious volleys fired thousands of anti-aircraft guns, which at that time was a grandiose spectacle.

After the Victory salute, dozens of planes dropped garlands of multi-colored rockets over the capital, numerous sparklers flashed on the squares.

Brief history of the holiday

The first Victory Day in history was celebrated in 1945 - on Red Square in Moscow in honor of the victory in the Great Patriotic War on June 24, a military parade was held, hosted by Marshal Georgy Zhukov.

The event that forever went down in world history - the deposition of Nazi banners and standards - they were thrown onto the platform near the Mausoleum, happened precisely at this parade.

Victory Day on May 9 was an official holiday until 1948, then it was abolished for many years, although celebrations dedicated to the victory were held in all settlements of the vast country.

The Victory Day holiday became a non-working day again only in 1965.

The holiday, in the period between 1965-1990, was celebrated on May 9 very widely - the military parades that took place on Victory Day clearly demonstrated the full power of the Soviet army and the latest achievements in the development of military equipment.

Many countries after the collapse of the USSR, including Georgia, continue to celebrate Victory Day on May 9th.

The Victory Day holiday in Russia for several years, after the collapse of the Union, lost its solemn status. Military parades on Victory Day with the participation of military equipment and military aviation on Red Square in Moscow traditionally began to be held on May 9, 1995.

The geography of cities where the holiday is celebrated is gradually becoming wider and wider. Victory Day on May 9 is celebrated especially solemnly in the hero cities of Russia.

European countries celebrate the Victory Day in World War II on May 8, the day on which, according to Central European time, Germany signed the act of surrender.

Joy with tears in your eyes

World War II and the Great Patriotic War are the largest battles in terms of scale and fierceness. It became a tragedy for the inhabitants of many countries of the world, brought human losses unprecedented in history, countless suffering to millions of people.

During the hostilities, which lasted almost four years, 1,710 cities, more than 70,000 villages, 32,000 factories and factories were destroyed in the USSR alone, 98,000 collective farms were looted - the total cost of these destructions was 128 billion dollars.

We know about the war from the stories of the older generation and from history books, but these terrible events were a reality for millions of people. The war brought a lot of grief - millions of soldiers and civilians died.

The Soviet Union lost a total of 25.6 million citizens, according to other sources 29.6 million people. At least 13.7 million people among the victims of the war are civilians.

On Victory Day, wreaths are laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, near the Eternal Flame - it burns in memory of the fallen heroes.

By tradition, on Victory Day people visit places where battles took place, monuments of military glory, graves of dead soldiers, where they lay flowers, and also hold rallies and solemn passage of military units.

On Victory Day, veterans, who are becoming less and less every year, gather in the central squares of cities, meet with fellow soldiers, commemorate their fallen comrades.

The memory of the dead, respect for the fearless veterans and pride in their unbearable feat will live in our hearts forever.

Every fifth soldier who fought in the Great Patriotic War was awarded - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to 11,681 soldiers, and 2,532 people are full holders of the Order of Glory.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

The great victory of the peoples of Rus' in the Great Patriotic War is a heroic and turning point in the significant events of the middle of the 20th century.

Fascism was a powerful, cruel, inhuman enemy that swept everything beautiful and good from its path.

For the sake of victory over the Nazis, the leadership of our country resorted to extraordinary measures, and the great Russian people had to make an incredible amount of effort, estimated at millions of lives.

The road to German enemy Berlin took the Soviet army more than three years of hardest front-line battles and battles. Under the power of the Wehrmacht, the Soviet Union did not surrender, unlike other European states.

How it all started

9th May- one of the main holidays of great Russia and the former countries of the Soviet Union. Each of us annually recalls the horrors of the war that Soviet soldiers were able to endure, and in almost every family there are veterans of this war who survived the victory or did not return from the battlefield.

The celebration was established in 1945 after the defeat of the Nazi troops by the Soviet wars. It was on May 9 that the Soviet and German sides signed an agreement on the surrender of the Wehrmacht, which marked the end of the brutal interethnic bloodshed.

On June 24, 1945, the official date for the celebration of the Great Victory was announced - May 9. On the occasion of a significant historical event, a parade was held under the leadership of Rokossovsky, but three years later, the Victory Day ceased to be a day off.

The leaders of the Union considered that the people should, at least for a while, forget about the terrible military events. But still, every year holiday greeting cards were issued, veterans-front-line soldiers received congratulations.

From the beginning of L.I. Brezhnev's reign, May 9 again became a public holiday, military parades were held in large cities of the country, festive fireworks thundered. Since 1965, military parades in Moscow have been held every 10 years, but with the collapse of the USSR, political instability manifested itself and the governments of the new states were not up to public celebrations.

The holiday was fully restored only in 1995, and the inhabitants of Russia witnessed two bright Moscow parades at once: Russian troops parade on Red Square, and a military parade using armored vehicles took place on Poklonnaya Hill.

From that moment on, military processions on the Red Square of Moscow and the laying of wreaths at the monuments of fallen heroes are held every year. Until 2008, military equipment did not participate in the parades, but later the tradition was restored.

May 9 is the Victory Day, but in other countries this day is celebrated on May 8, due to the difference in time zones (according to European time, this great event happened on May 8). But in fact, it turns out that the inhabitants of Europe celebrate a slightly different event - Victory Day in Europe - they have every right to celebrate the date of the liberation of the peoples of European countries.

On May 9, the history of the holiday has become one of the brightest and most colorful annual events. Parades are held on the squares of the cities, the music of the war years sounds, salutes are fired, everyone congratulates the veterans. But do not forget that this day for front-line soldiers is also a day of bitter memory of the horrors of the war experienced, of the soldiers who died in the name of victory.

Our duty is to remember the veterans not only on this great historical day, we are obliged to give them the attention and care that they deserve and gave us a bright and peaceful future.

history of the holiday Victory Day is unique - it was a day of general rejoicing, insane joy, real pride in one's people and heartbreaking sorrow from the price paid for this happiness. It was and remains a holiday “with tears in the eyes”, over time, the pain of loss has become less, although even now tears also well up with memories, frames of documentary and feature films, reading literature about the war.

It is especially bitter to look at the already few survivors and realize that they - at the cost of their lives provided us with a future, and we - could not give them a worthy present. It is also annoying when you meet with a distortion of the facts of history, downplaying the role of a Russian soldier in victory or desecrating their memory. How was it really?

Holiday Victory Day in our country began in our country with the signing of the German surrender on May 9, 1945, which meant the long-awaited victory and the end of the war.

To Berlin, such, at that moment, hated, but long-awaited, Soviet troops came close already in April 1945. On both sides, huge forces were prepared for the decisive battle: the number of tanks and aircraft numbered in the thousands, and the soldiers - tens of thousands.

Ah, if it hadn’t occurred to a bunch of “proud” paranoids to “defend their honor to the end”, then in five minutes from Victory we would not have lost 80 thousand young and mature, wise and dreamy women and men, girls and boys who in the spring of 1945, they wanted only one thing - to return home alive.

But they no longer knew that on the morning of May 9 at the airfield near Moscow. Frunze landed the Li-2 with the only important document on board - the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany, which was signed at 0.43 am on the same May day.

History of the holiday - Victory Parade.

Thus, from now on and forever, the date - May 9 - is called the Day of Victory of the Soviet (Russian) people over the fascist invaders. On the evening of this significant day, the Victory salute was given in Moscow, which became the largest in the history of the USSR: out of a thousand guns, exactly thirty volleys were fired.

On the same days, Stalin signed a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR that 9th May becomes a public holiday and is declared a day off.

On June 24, under the command of Rokossovsky, the first Victory Parade took place on Red Square, which was hosted by Marshal Zhukov. In conclusion, 200 banners of defeated Germany were carried across Red Square. Remember those famous shots when German standards are thrown at the foot of Lenin's mausoleum? These are footage from the chronicle from that first Victory parade.

Chronicle of the holiday on May 9.

However, May 9 was a day off and a holiday for a short time, only until 1948, since the country's leadership decided that it was time to forget about the war, taking up the restoration of the national economy.

Justice triumphed 17 years later - in 1965. Victory Day again became a holiday and a non-working day, and large-scale celebrations of an undeservedly forgotten date resumed throughout the country.

And since the year 1965 was an anniversary year, for the first time in 20 years a military parade was held on Red Square, which was repeated in 1975, 1985 and 1990. Since the 60s, organized parades began to take place in many other cities of the Soviet Union.

After the disappearance of the USSR Victory Day was widely celebrated only in 1995. Since then, parades on Red Square have been held annually. And since 2008, military equipment has again been involved in them.

Holiday Victory Day today.

Victory Day, May 9, was celebrated immediately after the war and this day was considered a day off until 1948 (only 3 years). Then it was decided to forget about the bloody war and start rebuilding the war-torn country. In the era of Brezhnev, on the 20th anniversary of the Great Victory over fascism, it was decided to return the celebration of the holiday. Since then, parades have been held annually and May 9 has once again become a day off.

Interestingly, in some countries this holiday is celebrated on the 9th, and on the 8th of May. On May 8, 1945, an agreement on the unconditional surrender of Germany was signed in Karlshort. In the USA this day is called Victory in Europe Day. In France, on May 8, the country's president, together with the lyceum students, kindles an eternal flame. And in the UK, celebrations begin in April, and on May 9, a wreath-laying ceremony takes place in the park near the Imperial War Museum in London. In Germany, on May 8, a divine service is held at the German-Russian Museum, a minute of silence and the laying of wreaths.

Decree on the announcement of the Victory Day 9th May was in fact signed by Mikhail Kalinin before the German Surrender Act was signed by the German side and the Allied representatives.

At 6 am on May 9, 1945, Levitan's voice solemnly announced the German surrender on the radio. The decree established that May 9 should be considered a non-working day. The Victory Parade in 1945 took place later. On the 46th and 47th day of May 9, it was also non-working, and at that time parades were held on Red Square.



However, before the New Year, December 24, 1947, May 9, it was decided to consider it a working day, although a holiday. However, on the contrary, January 1 was a working day, and the same decree decided to make it a day off.

Only Leonid Brezhnev in 1965 again made this day a day off.

May 9 is recognized as a public holiday during the reign of Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev - a great lover of military parades and official celebrations - namely, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, 1965, a parade was organized with a procession of military equipment and volleys of guns. Since that same year, 1965, we annually have a rest on May 9 and Victory Parades are held annually in honor of the Great Victory, war veterans are honored, and more recently, children of the war. And every year this Day is celebrated more and more magnificently and solemnly.

I must say that May 9 was a day off for some time after the end of the war - for three years, but this holiday was not celebrated magnificently, there were no salutes and volleys of guns that day - the memories of the war were too vivid, the volleys would not have sounded solemnly, but frightening. Since 1949, a day off on May 9 was canceled due to the fact that it was necessary to restore the country.

Only in the first years after Victory Day was this day celebrated (until 1948). Then Brezhnev resumed the tradition. And since 1965, we have been resting on May 9 and celebrating this day as it should be, with all honors and tribute.

In 1945, they began to celebrate the Victory Day. On the night of May 9, Stalin signed a decree that May 9 becomes a public holiday and is now a day off. Already in the morning, Levitan read out the decree on the radio.

But that was only three years. In 1948, it was decided that arranging holidays was costly, the country needed to be restored, and the day off was canceled. Only in 1965, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, again led the weekend on May 9, and also resumed the Victory Parades and large-scale fireworks.

A holiday called Victory Day was introduced in 1945. This day, May 9, was non-working until 1948, but there was no wide celebration in those years. They decided to resume the tradition in 1965, at the same time they began to hold parades on Red Square in Moscow and other cities, laying flowers at the memorials of the dead. And on the evenings of May 9, festive fireworks were arranged.

From 1945 until 1948 there was a victory holiday - May 9th. Then the state decided to cancel it due to the fact that there are many holidays. In 1968, the holiday was returned to the element of the people at the level of a state holiday.



May 9, 0:43 Germany's surrender was signed. But having accepted the surrender of Germany, the USSR did not sign the agreement and the war lasted for some more time. And on January 21, 1955, the document on the end of the war was officially signed.

However, May 9 was celebrated only for three years, since 1948 the holiday has not been celebrated, as the country was recovering after the war.

The holiday was revived again only in the Brezhnev era. In 1965, parades were again held, veterans were honored. May 9 was officially recognized as a day off.

May 9 every year was a holiday for the Soviet people, as on this day they remembered those who did not return from this damned war. But only since 1965, by decree of the government under the leadership of L.I. Brezhnev May 9 became a day off and remains so to this day.

Holiday - VICTORY DAY - was approved Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 8, 1945 with the wording - in honor of the day of victory over Nazism.

This is due to the discrepancy between the time of Russia and Europe, because the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed (according to Central European time) on May 8, and not on May 9, at 22:43, and in the Soviet Union at that time it was already 0: 43 9 May.

The Act came into force starting at 1:00 am (Moscow time), so Victory Day is celebrated by post-Soviet countries on May 9th.

It is a common misconception that Victory Day on May 9 became a day off only under Brezhnev. This is not so - from 1945 to 1947 this day was also a day off. Inside the posting - scans (published in LiveJournal poltora-bobra) from newspapers with the relevant decrees.

The act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed on May 8 at 22:43 CET (that is, on May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time) and came into force from 24:00 Moscow time. It is because of this natural time difference that Victory Day is celebrated on May 8 all over the world, and on May 9 in the Soviet Union. The day before, on May 8, 1945, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a Decree in which May 9 is declared Victory Day over Nazi Germany: “In commemoration of the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders and the historic victories of the Red Army, crowned with complete defeat Nazi Germany, which has declared unconditional surrender, to establish that May 9 is the day of national celebration - the Victory Day.

On December 23, 1947, in the USSR, Victory Day on May 9 was declared an ordinary working day. At the same time, January 1 was declared a day off - before that, from 1930 to 1947, the New Year in the USSR, of course, was celebrated, but January 1 was a working day. Because New Year's Day is largely a children's holiday, so we can say that in this way adults gave the children Victory Day. In the conditions of devastation, it was not possible to make another day off.

Scan from the newspaper "Izvestia" No. 302 of December 24, 1947.

There is a version that Stalin made May 9 a working day, because. was afraid of veterans and did not want to glorify their merits.
“They,” writes front-line soldier Anatoly Chernyaev, who later became assistant to General Secretary Gorbachev, “have seen the West. They have seen everything. They acquired a new human dignity… Stalin rightly feared this generation.”

To assess the validity of this statement, one must look at what Soviet newspapers wrote on Victory Day after 1947.

Literary Gazette, May 8, 1948

Labor, 8 May 1948

"Soviet Art", May 7, 1949

"Soviet Art", May 9, 1949

As you can see, the victorious front-line soldiers were paid tribute in newspaper articles. Victory Day was celebrated at the state level, this event was covered in the press, holiday concerts were organized for the people, it was just a working day. Thus, the thesis that Stalin was "afraid of the front-line soldiers" does not find confirmation in practice.

In the year of the twentieth anniversary of the Victory, by the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 25, 1965, May 9 was declared a non-working day and a national holiday. By this time, the country had already recovered from the ruins, so the introduction of an additional day off was not critical for the economy.