VE DAY – History of Sorts

VE Day @ 79

In memories deep, history’s echo rings,
A day of triumph, where freedom sings.
Amidst the ravages of war’s cruel play,
VE Day dawns, a light in the fray.

From London’s streets to fields afar,
Courageous souls bore the scars.
Their sacrifice, a beacon bright,
Guiding nations through the darkest night.

In cities shattered, lives intertwined,
Hope persisted, a flame defined.
Flags unfurled, hearts intertwined,
As tyranny faltered, and liberty shined.

Yet in victory’s embrace, we recall,
The toll of conflict, the price paid in full.
For every hero, a tale untold,
Their valour, in memory, we enfold.

So let us remember, on this hallowed day,
The brave souls who paved the way.
Their legacy, our timeless creed,
In peace and unity, let freedom lead.

Source

https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Experience/VE-Day/

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8 May 1945—Not VE Day for Everyone

Victory in Europe Day referred to as VE Day, was the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945. It marks the official end of World War II in Europe.

For many, that day came too late. Some died that day because of the evil inflicted on them by the Nazis. One of those was Isaac Davids.

Isaac Davids, the twin brother of Joseph Davids, was the son of Louis Davids and Jetje Moscoviter. He was born on 2 October 1915 in Rotterdam. On 24 May 1939, the 23-year-old Isaac married the non-Jewish Wilhelmina Cornelia Waaijer, the 16-year-old daughter of Franciscus Waaijer and Johanna Elisabeth Pons, in Rotterdam. They had two children, Franciska in 1938 and Jettie in 1940.

Not much else is known about the Davids-Waaijer family, nor whether the family had to move to The Hague after the bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May 1940. The archives of the Jewish Council do show that Isaac Davids lived in 1944 at 75 Poeldijkschestraat in The Hague. Apparently, he was arrested there on 29 March 1944 for an offence and taken to Westerbork, where he was locked up in the penal barrack 67. A few days later, on 5 April, Isaac Davids was put on a penal transport to Theresienstadt, possibly because of his mixed marriage, he was not sent to Auschwitz.

On 5 April 1944, a train departed from Westerbork to five different destinations. 240 Jews were in freight wagons to Auschwitz, 101 Jews were in two passenger carriages headed to Bergen-Belsen, and 289 Jews were in two carriages to Theresienstadt. In addition, one wagon containing 41 women and children went to Ravensbrück, and another wagon of 28 men, mostly Romanian Jews went to Buchenwald. In Assen, freight wagons were coupled with 625 Jews from Belgium for Auschwitz.

Isaac Davids finally lost his life on 8 May 1945 in Theresienstadt. His twin brother Joseph survived the war.

source

https://www.joodsmonument.nl/nl/page/424097/isaac-davids

Let the celebrations begin

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Although most of Europe was liberated in September 1944 but the war was still raging in the pacific. The severe winter of 1944 in Europe also threw a spanner in the celebrations, since some parts were still occupied by the Germans.

It was only on VE Day in May and Japan’s surrender in August of 1945 before the celebrations could start.

Below are some impressions of those celebrations.

A double-decker bus slowly pushes its way through the huge crowds gathered in Whitehall, London to hear Winston Churchill’s victory speech and celebrate Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945.

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A member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps seated on a courthouse lion celebrates the end of the war. August 1945.

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V-E Day celebration in Trondheim, Norway. May 8, 1945.

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American servicemen and women gather in front of the Rainbow Corner Red Cross Club in Paris to celebrate the unconditional surrender of the Japanese on August 15, 1945.

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Residents of Oak Ridge, Tennessee fill Jackson Square to celebrate the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945. Oak Ridge was one of the three main sites of the Manhattan Project and was responsible (though those working there did not know it) for refining uranium to be used in the first atomic bombs.

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A sergeant interrupts his shave in a barber shop and holds up the latest copy of the Stars And Stripes newspaper announcing the surrender of Japan with the headline of “PEACE.” Paris, France. August 14, 1945

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V-E Day celebrations on Bay Street, Toronto, Canada on May 8, 1945.

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Four MPs take a break along a German road in May of 1945 to read about the Nazi surrender in the Stars and Stripes newspaper.

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A French woman kisses an American soldier. France. Date unspecified

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As World War II ended, women were able to obtain nylon stockings once again. Date unspecified

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THE HALIFAX VE-DAY RIOTS

9f2fb106-d475-4208-b2bb-4de6549dedf9_thumbnail_600_600 On 7 and 8 May 1945, riots broke out after poorly coordinated Victory in Europe celebrations fell apart in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Several thousand servicemen (predominantly naval), merchant seamen and civilians drank, vandalized and looted.

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Word of Germany’s surrender in World War II was met by celebrations across Canada, but in Halifax, Nova Scotia the VE-Day celebrations rapidly turned into riots. For two days, military personnel and civilians roamed the streets, drinking, smashing windows, looting businesses and setting fires.

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A major North American port, Halifax had doubled its size during World War II, from about 70,000 people to 130,000.

The resulting overcrowding in Halifax, scarce food, and inadequate facilities had led to a buildup of tensions between military personnel and permanent residents of Halifax.

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The planning for VE-Day in Halifax was poor. In meetings before VE-Day there had been an agreement that the navy, army and air force would look after their own personnel and the Halifax city police force would take care of civilians. In reality, the military and civilian police could not handle mobs of mixed military personnel and civilians, and nobody could control 25,000 servicemen on leave who wanted to celebrate, but had nothing to do, and nothing to drink.

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When the news of the German surrender was announced on radio on Monday morning May 7, 1945, people in Halifax, as in many other Canadian cities, ran into the streets to celebrate.

Restaurants and liquor stores in Halifax were closed to let workers celebrate. There were no taverns in Halifax.

The navy wet canteens opened around noon and closed at 9 pm that evening. When the canteens closed, thousands of sailors streamed into the streets of Halifax, joining the throngs of civilians and other servicemen.

A group of sailors wrecked a tram car. When the police arrived, the sailors smashed the police van.

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By midnight the Halifax liquor stores were being hit by rioters.

On the second day, VE-Day, it started all over again at about noon.

Civilians and other servicemen joined the mob as vandalism and looting broke out and spread.

A mob broke through the police cordon at the brewery – some even carted beer out in trucks. When the city and army police arrived, the mob had grown to thousands of civilians and military personnel, and the looting of the brewery went on unchecked.

Admiral Leonard Murray marched a parade of servicemen downtown to set an example for the looters. The marchers were jeered and shoved, and many joined the rioters.

Systematic destruction and looting continued as restaurants were looted and burned and all the businesses in the Halifax downtown district were looted and smashed.

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Admiral Murray and Halifax Mayor Butler drove through the downtown wreckage of Halifax using a loudspeaker to announce an 8 pm curfew.

By midnight it had begun to rain, and the riots faded.

Three people died – two of alcohol poisoning, and one a possible murder.

More than 500 businesses were damaged.Over 200 shops were looted.

Thousands of cases of beer, wine and liquor were looted.

Admiral Leonard Murray was forced to retire.

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VE Day-Victory in Europe

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Today marks the 74th anniversary of VE Day, Victory in Europe day. Of course if there is victory there is generally also someone who loses. It can be debated if Germany and its allies lost the war, because I think the majority of their citizens were also victims of the Fascist regime.

Many people in Europe forget that the war still continued until 2 September 1945 in the Pacific.

But to remember VE Day I will do something similar as my post on the Dutch liberation day and post pictures of the day. Because a picture paints a thousand words.