Anniversary of the liberation from National Socialism

In the GDR, May 8 was considered "Liberation Day" from 1950 to 1967, based on the anti-fascist founding myth and the Soviet model.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the day was not a public holiday despite its symbolic significance. On May 8, 1949, representatives of various parties in the parliamentary council voted in favor of the Basic Law. Officially, however, the day tended to be avoided until the 1960s. It was not until 1970 that Federal President Gustav Heinemann gave a speech on this day.

Since Richard Weizsäcker's groundbreaking speech in 1985, May 8 has also been considered "Liberation Day" from National Socialism in the Federal Republic of Germany. Weizsäcker emphasized that this day should above all commemorate the inhuman suffering on all sides.

Brandenburg has celebrated the anniversary of the end of the war as a day of remembrance since 2015, after the state parliament passed changes to the state holiday law. However, this has no direct impact on work and the economy, as the day is not a day off work.