Anniversary of the End of World War II 2025 in Germany

On May 8, 1945, Germany’s armed forces surrendered to Allied armies, bringing an end to World War II in Europe.

Is This a Public Holiday?

While May 8, known as Victory in Europe Day in other countries, is not a national holiday in Germany, observances are held in Berlin and some other locations on that date to memorialize those who resisted the Nazi regime.

Resistance and Remembrance

This holiday is not widely observed in Germany, but ceremonies were held in 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of hostilities, and a regional holiday was declared for that date in Berlin.

This local holiday will also be observed in 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the surrender.

At the German capital’s Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand or German Resistance Memorial Center, visitors can see exhibits illustrating the extent of opposition to the Nazi regime from within Germany. The center is located at the historical site of the Bendlerblock, where key figures of the 1944 resistance plot were executed.

National and International Observance

Before the reunification of the nation in 1990, May 8 was known as Tag der Befreiung (Liberation Day), and later Tag des Sieges (Victory Day), in East Germany. It was not officially commemorated in West Germany.

On the international level, the UN declared May 8 and 9 as a time of remembrance and reconciliation, to be observed annually worldwide on either day or both days. These dates serve as a tribute to all those who died during World War II.

This observance is not to be confused with the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.