E-Paper
VE-day celebrations kick off in Europe
Denmark and the Netherlands marked the 60th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi troops on Thursday, kicking off VE-day celebrations around Europe.
Denmark and the Netherlands marked the 60th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi troops on Thursday, kicking off VE-day celebrations around Europe that culminate on Monday with world leaders attending a parade at Moscow's Red Square.
Events scheduled through the weekend include a ceremony in the French city of Reims, where World War II officially ended, and rallies by both far-right and left-wing groups in Germany.
In Copenhagen, Queen Margrethe and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen took part in ceremonies at a monument to seamen killed in the war. A mass was held at a seamen's church to remember the 2,000 Danish sailors who died in Allied service.
British troops arrived in Copenhagen on May 5, 1945, to officially end German occupation.
In the Netherlands, events kicked off in the southern city of Den Bosch.
In France, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin will start the commemorations on Saturday in the northeastern city of Reims.
President Jacques Chirac will mark the anniversary in a ceremony on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday.
