Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, General Dwight D. Eisenhower holds up the pens used to sign the first unconditional Nazi surrender in Reims, France on May 7, 1945. (Source: Museum of the Surrender, CC BY-SA 4.0, G. Garitan)
What is Victory in Europe Day (also called VE Day) and why is it celebrated across much of Europe? What does VE Day have to do with Arlington’s Sister City of Reims, France?
Eighty years ago, on May 7th, 1945, an event that impacted the fate of the world took place in Arlington’s sister city of Reims. At that time, World War II had been raging for over five years. The war had claimed the lives of millions of soldiers and innocent people across the world.
The Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Forces was based in Reims, France. Its strategic location in the famous Champagne region of northeastern France allowed the Allied forces to coordinate their European offensive. A small school house in Reims specifically was chosen as the Allied headquarters. Reims already had a storied history by 1945. It was originally founded during the reign of the Roman Empire, had been the capital of France, and was the place where the kings of France were crowned.
On May 7th, 1945, Reims once more entered the annals of history. Nearly a year after the D-Day Normandy landings of June 6, 1944, the German Nazis were finally forced to surrender. The Germans signed their first full unconditional surrender at the Allied headquarters in Reims on May 7th, 1945, at 2:41 AM. This pivotal surrender was set to come into force the next day, May 8th, and brought an end to World War II in Europe.
Nearly 60 years later in 2004, Arlington, VA, USA and Reims, France officially became Sister Cities, tying our cities’ histories together heading into the new millenia.
However, questions about VE Day remain! If the signing occurred on May 7th, why was there a second signing on May 8th? Why is May 8th, the date of the second signing, celebrated as Victory in Europe Day? How did the end of the war in Europe play out across the continent? What about Arlington’s sister city of Aachen, Germany that became the first German town to be liberated by the Allies?
Find out the answers to these questions and more at Arlington sister cities’ connection to history event showcasing the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day!
