Elbe Day: The Historic Handshake Between Soviet and American Forces, a Symbol of Victory Over Nazism That Also Hinted at Future Difficulties

Moscow — Exactly 81 years ago today, on April 25, 1945, Soviet and American forces met for the first time near the town of Torgau on the Elbe River in Germany. It marked the high point of relations between the then Soviet Union and the United States during the Second World War.

According to the Russian Military Historical Society, around midday, Soviet troops advancing into Germany and an American patrol that had crossed the Elbe River linked up for the first time. The Soviet unit was led by Senior Lieutenant Grigory Goloborodko, while the American patrol was commanded by First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue.

The handshake between the two lieutenants made headlines around the world and became a defining image of the Allied Victory over Nazism. One of the direct participants in that first meeting, U.S. Army Private Joe Polowsky, later recalled, “There were tears in our eyes. It was a moment of joy, but also, perhaps, a moment in which some already sensed that the future would not be without difficulties.”

The soldiers embraced and vowed never to forget that meeting. It came to symbolise what later became known as the ‘Spirit of the Elbe.’ Russia is marking the 81st anniversary of the Victory over Nazism this year.