научная статья по теме VICTORY DAY Языкознание

Текст научной статьи на тему «VICTORY DAY»

The 70th Anniversary of Victory in World War II

Victory Day

Many Russians celebrate Victory Day on May 9. On this day, TV networks broadcast World War II-inspired films, younger generations honor veterans, and the festivities culminate in a military parade on the Red Square in Moscow.

The 9th of May is a special day for all Russian people. This is Victory Day. This is the day when the Great Patriotic War finished.

For the Soviet Union, the war started on the 22nd of June 1941. A day before, on the 21st of June, in all schools of the country there was a party - the last school ball. Girls and boys had just finished school. They were dancing, dreaming of the future and did not know that the following day, they would go to war and never come home again.

For the Soviet Union the war lasted for 4 years. It was a very hard time for everyone. In many cities and villages there was starvation. Millions of Soviet soldiers died in this war. But they won and became heroes to every Russian person.

Since then more than 70 years have passed. But Russian people do not forget their heroes. In every city concerts are held in honor of the Great Patriotic War. In Moscow in the Red Square you can see a big parade. Grandchildren and greatgrandchildren thank veterans for freedom.

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Victory Day or 9 May marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second World War. It was first inaugurated in the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union, following the signing of the surrender document late in the evening on 8 May 1945 (after midnight, thus on 9 May, by Moscow Time).

The Soviet government announced the victory early on 9 May after the signing ceremony in Berlin. Though the official inauguration happened in 1945 (which means it has been celebrated since 1946), the holiday became a non-labour day only in 1965 and only in some of the countries.

In the former Soviet Union this festival was celebrated to commemorate the Red Army's victory over the Nazi forces.

In communist East Germany, 8 May was officially known and celebrated as 'Liberation Day' and was a public holiday between 1950 and 1966, and again on the 40th anniversary in 1985. In 1975 a Soviet-style 'Victory Day' was celebrated on 9 May. Since 2002, the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has observed a commemoration day known as the 'Day of Liberation from National Socialism, and the End of the Second World War'.

In 1988, before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Victory Day ceased to be observed in Uzbekistan, but was partially restored in 1999 as Memorial/ Remembrance Day. After their separation from the Soviet Union, the Baltic countries now commemorate the end of World War II on 8 May, the Victory in Europe Day. Although in Latvia there are still major celebrations held each year on 9th of May near the Victory Monument in Riga and in other cities as well, gathering veterans and people who are grateful for what they did, as well as featuring music and other live shows.

What do people do?

Many people attend a local military parade and watch the fireworks at night on Victory Day. The biggest parade is on Moscow's Red Square, showing Russia's military forces. Most veterans wear their medals as they head to the parade or an event organized by a local veteran organization.

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Another tradition is to give flowers, usually red carnations, to veterans in the street and to lay wreaths at the war memorial sites. Neighborhood schools may host a program prepared by the students, featuring wartime songs and poetry.

At home, families gather around a festive table to honor surviving witnesses of World War II and remember those who passed away. They may also watch a favorite Soviet film based on the events of the Great Patriotic War. These films are repeated each year but the audience seems to never grow tired of them.

Celebration

During the Soviet Union's existence, 9 May was celebrated throughout the USSR and in the countries of the Eastern Bloc. Though the holiday was introduced in many Soviet republics approximately between 1946 and 1950, it only became a non-labour day in Ukrainian (1963) and Russian (1965) SSRs. In the latter one, a weekday off (usually Monday) was given, if 9 May was to fall on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday).

The celebration of Victory Day continued during subsequent years. The war became a topic of great importance in cinema, literature, history lessons at school, the mass media, and the arts. The ritual of the celebration gradually obtained a distinctive character with a number of similar elements: ceremonial meetings, speeches, lectures, receptions and fireworks.

In Russia during the 1990s the 9 May was not celebrated massively. The situation changed when Vladimir Putin came to power. He started to promote the prestige of the governing regime and history, national holidays and commemorations all became a source for national self-esteem. Since then the

Victory Day in Russia has increasingly been turning into a joyous celebration in which popular culture plays a great role. The celebration of the 60th anniversary of Victory Day in Russia in 2005 became the largest national and popular holiday since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Sources

1. http://www.theguardian.com/world/ganery/2014/may/09/moscows-victory-day-parade-in-pictures.

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Day_(9_May)#Russia.

3. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/russia/victory-day.

Н.В. Никитин

Сведения об авторе: Никитин Никита Вячеславович, учитель английского и немецкого языков, ГБОУ гимназия №1636 «НИКА», магистрант Московского городского педагогического университета, Москва.

E-Mail: nikitaenglish@mail.ru

Ключевые слова: Victory Day, the World War II, 9 May, the celebration of Victory Day.

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