75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day marked by commemorative ceremony at Háj-Nicovô War Cemetery

The 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe was today observed by the highest constitutional representatives along with SVK Government members and Armed Forces officials at the Czechoslovak Army Corps Memorial at the Háj-Nicovô War Cemetery in Liptovský Mikuláš. On this occasion, Minister Naď paid homage to all victims of war conflicts, whilst at the same time reminding that freedom and peace are among the universal values that we must protect.

On Victory in Europe Day, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Today we commemorate the end of one of the bloodiest conflicts in the history of Europe. Even 75 years on, we can not and must not be indifferent to events like this one. On the contrary, we must always remember them and speak about them with today's generation as well. We owe this to all those who laid down their own lives in the fight for our freedom.”

“Nor should we forget our war veterans who stand as a living testament to the horrors and hardships the war brought with it. In one of the worst chapters of human history, evil and cruelty had no limits. The road to freedom claimed a huge amount of material and especially human losses. That is why we must never forget what the war meant and what it brought with it,” said Minister Naď, with reference to the fondness for totalitarian regimes still existing in our society today.

The Second World War broke out on 1 September 1939 with Nazi Germany's invasion into Poland. Lasting for 2,194 days, it was gradually joined by over 60 countries. WW2 ended in Europe with the signing of Germany's unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945. However, the hostilities were not brought to an end until the Instrument of Surrender was signed by Japan aboard a U.S. warship in the Bay of Tokyo on 2 September 1945. According to the latest estimates accepted by the scientific community, approx. 60 million people perished in the conflict.