Victory in Europe Day marks May 8th 1945, on which day the second world war Allies formally accepted an unconditional surrender by the armed forces of Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, after six years of the bloodiest conflict in human history.
In 2020, the Early May Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom was moved to May 8th to mark the 75th anniversary of V-E Day. The same change happened in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of V-E Day.
In Russia and some other East European countries, this event is marked on Victory day on May 9th. It is a day later as the treaty was signed at 10.30 pm in the evening in Reims, to come into effect at 11.01 pm. As Russia is one hour ahead of Western Europe, this meant it was already May 9th in Russia.
Initially, this day was celebrated on May 9th in Slovakia but is now observed on May 8th.
The Times newspaper front page was reserved for adverts until 1966, so the end of the second world war on VE Day was page 6 news.
In Ukraine from 2015, May 8th was designated as a day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, but it is not a public holiday.