Victory Day (May 9)

Today, May 9, is a day commemorating the victory over the Nazi army in World War II.  Or, as the war is called here, the Great Patriotic War.

Triumph of the Conquering People, Mikhail Khmelko, 1949

In America, we recognize D-Day on June 6, but May 9 was when the Nazi army surrendered to the Soviet army.  Today is a holiday, and everyone has the day off (even KCA!).  The above painting is of Red Square, when the soldiers threw down the German banners in a pile to be burned.  I've seen old video footage of this parade and event, and there is a feeling of great triumph.  The soldiers are yelling "Hoorah! Hoorah!"

Another shot of the same painting

I just got a multimedia message on my phone that says "Happy Victory Day -- 66 years of victory" (in Ukrainian) and has a picture of a girl pinning something on an old vet.

Kyiv: City of Heroes (taken in May 2010)

If you're still reading, here is a video of the 1945 parade I mentioned earlier.  Since you probably don't understand what's going on, I will point you to specific clips.  I wish I could sit beside you and point out specific things and translate as the video plays.
1:22 Holding the Nazi flags that they've "captured"
2:30 Stalin is one of those important guys, overlooking the parade.  A few moments later is when the parade actually begins, but you can fast forward to 4:57, where there is a gun salute.  Then they all march, grouped by their "fronts" -- 1st Belorussian front, for instance. After a few moments of that, switch to the Part 2 video.



Part 2 of the 1945 Victory Day Parade:
0:59 Throwing the Nazi Germany banners in a pile (watch until 1:29)



I never realized how massive this parade was -- the clips of these videos shown in the War Museum only total about 5 minutes, if that!  I just finished fastforwarding through these videos, and I couldn't really find them yelling "Hoorah!" like in the museum's clips.  Sorry about that -- you'll just have to come here and see the clip for yourself at the museum. :)

Yesterday I walked around the National Botanical Garden with a friend, and the place was packed!  People were enjoying the sort of-nice spring weather and the holiday weekend.

Lilacs (and chestnuts too) are in bloom once more