Members of the “Night Wolves” motorcycle club, a Russian nationalist group, rode into Berlin on Thursday. They made stops at the Soviet memorials in Tiergarten and Treptower Park, where visitors cheered them on. Hundreds of people gathered at the memorials in Berlin to commemorate the end of World War II 79 years ago. The Russian ambassador, Sergei Yuryevich Netschayev, also visited both sites. In Treptower Park, he greeted Russian Orthodox priests. Police controlled the entrances to the park to check for any prohibited symbols or items.
On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered, marking the end of World War II in Europe. In Russia, Victory Day is celebrated on May 9 as the day of victory over Nazi Germany. Typically, representatives from the Russian embassy in Berlin also lay wreaths at memorial sites on May 9. There were some isolated incidents around the memorial in Tiergarten, according to a police spokeswoman. Some individuals were detained for identification purposes, and police officers were reportedly insulted. Some participants displayed symbols of unconstitutional organizations, although the specifics were not immediately clear. The police will provide a summary of the operation on Friday. Most visitors, however, behaved peacefully, laying wreaths and flowers at the memorial sites, with many dressed in military uniforms.
The Soviet-nationalist rock group “Night Wolves” also stopped in Berlin on Thursday and visited the memorials in Tiergarten and Treptower Park. The police spokeswoman reported that there were no significant incidents during their visit. Photos from the German Press Agency showed other visitors cheering on the members of the “Night Wolves.” The group has been visiting various memorial sites for years around the commemorative day. The anti-Western “Night Wolves” are known to support Russian President Vladimir Putin and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. In past years, they have traveled through Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Saxony, and Brandenburg to reach Berlin. The leader of the Night Wolves was also present at Putin’s inauguration a few days ago. Around 30 members of the Russian nationalist rock group had visited Potsdam the day before, mainly consisting of members from German branches of the group. Their stop at Bassinplatz was part of their annual tour marking the end of World War II in Europe and the liberation from Nazism 79 years ago. On Wednesday morning, they had visited a Soviet memorial cemetery in Oranienburg and the Sachsenhausen memorial site, spending the night in Hennigsdorf.
