To mark the end of the war in Europe 81 years ago, Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev took part in a memorial march in Berlin. He visited the Soviet memorial in the Tiergarten, where he also took part in a wreath-laying ceremony.
According to the police, around 600 people took part in the memorial procession that moved from the Brandenburg Gate to the memorial. 1,000 participants were registered. The gatherings around the day of liberation were largely trouble-free and peaceful, said a police spokeswoman. So far there have been no crimes.
Symbols and flags are not allowed at cenotaphs
Because of the war in Ukraine, the police banned uniforms and Russian flags for the demonstrations and commemorative events on the anniversary of the end of the war at the three Soviet memorials. On Friday and Saturday, flags and symbols related to Russia, as well as military uniforms and badges as well as marching and military songs, were banned from the cenotaphs in Treptower Park, near the Brandenburg Gate and in Schönholz. Exceptions were made for diplomats, World War veterans and representatives of some countries. Symbols supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine were also banned.
These requirements were occasionally violated, said the police spokeswoman. Around 1,030 police personnel are on duty and more than 30 meetings have been registered, the police said on X.
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As in previous years, Russian or German members of the pro-Russian and nationalist motorcycle club “Nachtwölfe” drove from Eastern Europe to Germany for the commemorative event. According to the police, this year they did not drive through Berlin.
With the surrender of the German Wehrmacht, the Second World War ended in Europe in 1945. Generals of the German Wehrmacht signed a corresponding document in front of the victorious powers USA, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union in Berlin-Karlshorst on the night of May 8th to 9th, 1945. Russia celebrates victory over Germany on May 9th.