Commemoration of World War II: How Nations Honor Their War Dead
80 years after the end of the war, the former warring parties maintain different cultures of remembrance. While Europe celebrates on May 8, Russia commemorates on May 9, and China has established several commemorative days. A look at the memorial politics of the great powers.
Vienna, April 19, 2026. The Second World War claimed between 70 and 85 million lives. Eight decades later, nations are still struggling over the right form of commemoration, increasingly instrumentalizing memory for current political purposes.
In almost all countries that played a significant role in the greatest military conflict in human history, official memorial days were established. They are meant to remember the fallen, honor the victims and, according to the official narrative, warn future generations about the horrors of war. But the way commemoration is practiced differs considerably.
Europe's Divided Memory
In Western Europe, May 8th is considered Liberation Day. France, Great Britain, and numerous other countries commemorate this anniversary with wreath-laying ceremonies and moments of silence. After decades of processing, Germany has committed to a critical culture of remembrance that differentiates between perpetrators and victims.
Russia, on the other hand, celebrates victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, the „Day of Victory“ has become the most important national holiday there. Military parades on Red Square demonstrate strength, commemoration merges with national pride. Critics see in this an increasing instrumentalization of history for present geopolitical interests.
China's growing memorial culture
In recent years, the People's Republic of China has significantly expanded its memory politics. Since 2014, the country officially commemorates September 3rd as the „Victory Day of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression“ and December 13th as a national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. According to Chinese figures, more than 300,000 people were killed in this war crime committed by the Japanese army in 1937.
The memorials in Nanjing, as well as the Museum of Chinese People's Resistance in Beijing, attract millions of visitors annually. Beijing uses these places of remembrance to underscore its own contribution to the Allied victory in the Pacific War, a narrative that long remained underexposed in the West.
Commemoration as a Geopolitical Instrument
The different commemorative traditions reflect not only historical experiences, but also serve current foreign policy goals. Japan, for example, still struggles today with a comprehensive reckoning with its war crimes, a constant point of conflict in relations with China and South Korea.
For Austria, which was liberated in 1945 and was considered Hitler's „first victim,“ the work of remembrance remains a balancing act between commemorating victims and debating complicity. May 8th was only declared an official day of remembrance in 2013.
The Two Sides of Power
Memorial culture is never neutral. It shapes national identity, legitimizes political systems, and influences international relations. While remembering together can promote reconciliation, it is also deliberately used by some governments to fuel nationalism or support foreign policy claims. The question of how we commemorate the dead thus remains highly political, even 80 years after the end of the war. YANUS continues to follow this topic.