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100th Anniversary ANZAC Day Commemoration In Berlin

Every year on the 25th of April, Australia stops for ANZAC Day. The Embassy in Berlin will have a 100th year memorial service

March 26th, 2015
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Saturday 25th of April will mark the 100th anniversary of ANZAC day, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. A large service of remembrance will be held at 09:00 on the 25 April at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) World War One Cemetery. For Australia, it is a significant national day and public holiday to remember those who first landed, fought and died in Gallipoli. 

On April 25th 2015 the Embassies of New Zealand and Australia will be holding a celebration for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of ANZAC day. On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula.

Anzac day is a public holiday in Australia; it commemorates all the Australians and New Zealand soldiers who lost their life in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, these soldiers became known as the Anzacs. Both countries share the same Remembrance Day, especially as after the First World War, both countries were Dominions of the British Empire.

Even though the battle was not successful in making the Ottomans leave, the joint action of the two countries created a powerful connection between them and has ever since been a big part of their national identities. After the Second World War, the meaning of the public holiday widened and now also signifies the lives also lost to battle in the Second World War.

This year there is bound to be many events for the 100th anniversary worldwide. In Australia, the service is traditionally held at the Australian War Memorial. Here, in Berlin, the embassies of New Zealand and Australia will be holding the service at the World War One Cemetery on the grounds of the Sudwestkirchhof. It is one of two Commonwealth cemeteries in Berlin, established in 1945 as a central ground for aircrew and prisoners of war who were interred in the Berlin area in East Germany. 

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References and Links

News from Berlin
Berlin Global