Today the ending of WW2 in Europe was celebrated at the Maarjamäe memorial square and everyone who fell or were killed in this war were commemorated.
All who were killed in WW2 commemorated at Maarjamäe
Please note that the article is more than five years old and belongs to our archive. We do not update the content of the archives, so it may be necessary to consult newer sources.
In his role as government representative, Defence Minister Urmas Reinsalu placed wreaths on all grave markings at Maarjamäe for people who fell in WW2.
“Today we commemorate tens of millions of people who as soldiers or civilians lost their life in WW2. Let us commemorate all victims of war, regardless of their uniform and the side they fought for. The war took into account neither nationality nor state border,” said Reinsalu in his speech at Maarjamäe.
Gunnar Laev, the Head of the Estonian Freedom Fighters Association, Jüri Ratas, the Deputy Chairman of the Riigikogu, and others, also spoke at the memorial event at Maarjamäe; a prayer was read by Jaan Tammsalu, the Tallinn provost of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In order to pay respects to all who fell and were killed in WW2, today chaplains of the Defence Forces laid wreaths also at the grave marking of the soldiers of the Red Army at the Defence Forces Cemetery and at the memorial to victims of Nazi persecution at Rahumäe Jewish Cemetery.
On 7 May 1945, representatives of the Allied Powers and of the German armed forces signed the Act of Surrender of the German State in Reims, France, whereby all war activities were ended in Europe as of 8 May.
On 22 November 2004, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution concerning the celebrating of the 60th anniversary of the ending of WW2, where 8 and 9 May were declared days of commemoration and reconciliation. The resolution called upon people to celebrate one or both days in an appropriate manner every year and to pay respects to all who lost their life in WW2.