May 8: France to mark 81st anniversary of end of World War Two in Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron will preside over a commemoration ceremony in Paris on Friday morning (May 8) to mark the 81st anniversary of the end of World War Two.

The day, commonly known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe) is celebrated every May 8 and marks the anniversary of the unconditional German capitulation to the Allies in 1945.

Mr Macron will lay a wreath at the foot of the statue of General Charles de Gaulle, who led Free France against Nazi Germany during the war, before continuing along the Champs-Elysées.

The commemoration ceremony will end with a tribute in front of the tombe du soldat inconnu under the Arc de Triomphe, where the president will lay another wreath. The tomb is a monument to all soldiers who have died for France over the centuries.

The ceremony will be aired on French television, with the event beginning at 10:00. 

Similar smaller ceremonies will take place all around the country.

“May 8 is a symbolic date, celebrated in all towns and cities," states France’s Ministry of Armed Forces.

“On this day, all the events of World War Two are commemorated, including the victory of the Allies and the end of Nazi oppression in Europe.

“It is also an opportunity to send a message in support of the fight for freedom and democracy.”

May 8 is a public holiday in France, which this year falls on a Friday, providing the majority of the country with an extra day off work or school, and creating a long weekend. 

You can read more about May 8 and see pictures of how the day was celebrated in France in 1945 on the Établissement de communication et de production audiovisuelle de la Défense (ECPAD) website. 

The 2009 film 8 mai, la flamme de la mémoire (8 May: The Flame of Remembrance) shares testimonies of those who lived through the Second World War, recounting the events that led up to V-E Day.