80th Anniversary of the Surrender - A New Breath for Peace

An exceptional place of memory

It was in Reims, in the operations room of the Allied Forces Headquarters set up at Lycée Roosevelt, that General Alfred Jodl signed the unconditional surrender document of Nazi Germany on May 7, 1945, at 2:41 AM, putting an end to World War II in Europe. This historic site, now the Museum of the Surrender, preserves the room where the surrender was signed, with its wall maps and the original table.

A week of commemorations

From May 5 to 11, 2025, the City of Reims invited its residents and visitors to participate in a program rich in emotions, memories, and sharing. Exhibitions, meetings, film screenings, and symbolic moments punctuated this commemorative week. Official ceremonies at the Monument aux Morts celebrated the peace and freedom defended by those who fought to liberate France.

Transmission and youth

Youth played a central role in the commemorations. Members of the Departmental Youth Council of the Marne and the Reims Young Municipal Council carried the flame taken from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This symbolic gesture illustrates the desire to pass on the values of peace and memory to new generations.

Visits and discoveries

Exceptional guided tours of the Museum of the Surrender were offered, titled "At the Heart of Victory in Europe" and "Celebrating Victory!". These tours allowed visitors to discover the emblematic sites that witnessed the victory and the symbols of peace, offering a moving immersion into the history of the end of World War II.