May 9, 1945, time 0.43 am
In the hall of the military engineering school, in the suburb of Karlshorst in Berlin, the unconditional surrender of Germany is signed. The discussions had started from the evening of May 8.
A few days earlier, on April 30, 1945, with the Soviets within striking distance of the Chancellery as a result of the Battle of Berlin, Hitler committed suicide and his surviving successors signed the unconditional surrender. It was the end of the Nazi threat.
The signing of the capitulation took place on May 9, 1945, at 0.43 am. The German high command was represented by Field Marshal Keitel, Admiral Friederburg and Air Force General Stumpf.
The delegation of the victorious alliance consisted of Marshal G. K. Zhukov on behalf of the USSR, on behalf of England Air Marshal A. Tedder, on behalf of the USA General K. Spaats and on behalf of France General De Lattre de Tassiny .
With the signing of the capitulation, the German government surrendered all armed forces on land, sea and air in its possession. The text was written in Russian, German and English and contained 14 articles.
The capitulation was also the end of the Second World War, with Europe setting the first goals so that we never have a similar bloodbath again.
On 9 May 1950 French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman issued a statement calling on Germany, France and other countries to unite their coal and steel production as "the first concrete foundation of a European federation". The Schuman Declaration, as it is known, is the beginning of the creation of today's European Union.
"Europe was not made and we had War. Europe will not be made immediately, or according to a single plan:it will be created with concrete measures that will bring real solidarity".
In the Schuman Declaration it is clearly stated that "solidarity in production, formed in this way, will prove that any war between France and Germany is not only unthinkable but also materially impossible". The treaty was ratified in 1951 in Paris and entered into force a year later.
The first six members of the Coal and Steel Community decided to expand their economic cooperation by establishing the European Economic Community, with the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1958.
In 1985, the Single European Act set the goal of creating a common market, which with the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, led to the birth of the European Union.
Twelve European countries have agreed to coordinate their steps towards the creation of economic and monetary union.
This significant event for the creation of the United Europe is celebrated every year on May 9 as Europe Day, with various events, which aim to bring the citizens of the EU member states closer together.
The first victory parade in Moscow:
Today, on the day of Europe, the leaders of its member states meet in Romania in an informal Summit to discuss the next steps of the Union, just before the crucial European elections that stand in front of a high stake:
The new rise of Euroscepticism and obscurantism that threatens those foundations built for peace to reign. And for the fact of the rise of the far-right, the Union itself is also responsible, which must now find its new outlets and visions to re-inspire its people and stay together in terms of social, equal prosperity.
The special website of the EU for "Europe Day" presents all the events dedicated to the anniversary. Most of them take place in Brussels and Strasbourg, where the heart of European institutions beats.