May 9: Day of Victory over Fascism

A number of events are happening in Tbilisi today as Georgia is celebrating the 70th anniversary of Victory Day when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union to mark the end of the Second World War.

A surrender document was signed in Berlin, Germany, on the late evening of May 8, 1945, which was the early morning on May 9 in Eastern European time, thus why Victory Day is celebrated today in Georgia.

To mark the occasion, traditionally veterans of WWII gather at Vake Park in Tbilisi to commemorate and lay wreaths at the memorial of the Unknown Soldiers who served in the Armed Forces.

Today was no different and people from all walks of life gathered at Vake Park to remember those who died, and survived while serving their country.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili together with Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli join the veterans at Vake Park today.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili celebrates Victory Day at Vake Park in Tbilisi, Georgia. Photo by the President's Administration.

Vake Park was full of smiles today. Photo by the President's Administration. 

Later this evening, the war veterans will pay a visit to the Presidential Palace in Avlabari, Tbilisi, where President Margvelahsvili will host them.

More than 750,000 Georgians served in WWII and more than 300,000 died. Latest Census data revealed several hundred WWII veterans were still alive.

Agenda.ge is proud to share with you the stories of some of Georgia’s heroes of the war "In Pictures” on Victory Day of May 9, 2014. All of the pictured veterans were aged 90 or older when the photos were taken, and their faces will tell you more than the captions pictured alongside the images.

A decision by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will see every WWII veteran receive 1,000 GEL (about $430 USD) today as a present marking Victory Day.

Meanwhile a number of Georgian authorities congratulated veterans at today’s special occasion.

The WWII participants attended a special reception on behalf of PM Garibahsvili yesterday. 

Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze and a WWII veteran at yesterday's reception on behalf of the Prime Minister. Photo by the PM's press service. 

The PM was supposed to celebrated Victory Day with them but he was unable to attend the event as yesterday’s Parliament meeting, where the renewed Cabinet regained a vote of confidence, lasted longer than expected. 

Meanwhile on the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Allies in Europe during WWII, Edward Dosch, an American WWII veteran is staying in Tbilisi and will celebrate the important day together with Georgian veterans. 

Seventy years ago today Dosch was serving in the Navy in Pearl Harbour when he heard the news of the victory. 

"I was so excited I was afraid I’d jump from the tower I was on,” he recalled.

Dosch and his wife were in Georgia as volunteers with their church and worked with the Rustavi Disabled Centre, a school for the blind, and a children’s hospital, the United States's Embassy in Tbilisi said.