It was on the 25th of April 1945, when the 69th division of the US infantry and the 58th Russian division met in Torgau.
This noteworthy day - called Elbe Day - is celebrated year by year, always at a weekend around the 25th of April. This festival is an attraction to many tourists, especially because of the countless events during those days.
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Date |
Location |
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April 17 - Mai 9 10.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m. |
DIZ Torgau, Hartenfels Castle |
Special Exhibition „Torgau 1945 – The End of the War in Europe" |
| April - June |
Gallery under the Winding Staircase Hartenfels Castle Wing C |
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| April 17-25 |
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Presentation of the historic diesel experss railcar (pre-war construction "Cologne") with a specially established US-compartment From 1945 to 1959 it was in possession of the US-Army and subordinated to General Ernest Harmon, commander of the „Constabulary“ in the US-Occupation Zone as his command post. |
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Thursday, April 22 |
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09.00 p.m. |
Kulturbastion (Culture Bastion) |
Blues concert with John Lee Hooker Jr. |
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Friday, April 23 |
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10.00 a.m. |
Market Square |
Start of the Historic Military Patrol |
| 10.00 a.m |
Auditorium of the secondary school - open to public - |
Discussion with young US-Americans, Russians and Germans about the film "Der gwöhnliche Faschismus" ("The ordinary Fascism") - History and Present; Dialogue Petersburg e.V., DRF e.V., RIA Nowosti |
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10.00 a.m. - 08.00 p.m. |
Market Square |
Action Program of the Torgau Brewery (Torgauer Brauhaus) and the Torgau News (Torgauer Zeitung) on the occasion of the “Day of German Beer“ |
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Market Square |
Presentation of the Historic Military Patrol |
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00.30 a.m. |
Auditorium of the secondary school - open to public - |
Reading of field post "Letters from the field" by students of the Johann-Walter-Gymnasium (secondary school in Torgau) and Presentation of family documents |
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04.00 p.m. |
Market Square |
Return of the historical military patrol |
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05.00 p.m. |
Little Gallery |
Book Presentation "Saloma - Forced Laborer in Germany during World War II"
by and with Mrs Margot Weiß (Weßnig) |
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06.30 p.m. |
Castle Church |
Concert for the ELBE DAY with JUVAVUM BRASS SALZBURG – the ultimate wind quintet |
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06.30 p.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
Twilight River Trip on the Elbe with the motor vessel “MS Lutherstadt Wittenberg” |
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07.00 p.m. |
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“Torgau Elbe Talk” Security Policy and Foreign Affairs during the next decade organization: Circle of Political Youth in Saxony Inc. (Ring politischer Jugend Sachsen e.V.) in cooperation with the Young Union of Northern Saxony (Junge Union Nordsachsen) |
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09.00 p.m. |
Kulturbastion (Culture Bastion) |
Concert with Skazka and Russian Disco with DJ Pixie |
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starting 09.00 p.m. |
Brückenkopf 1 (Bridgehead) |
Film Presentation "Ostpunx" with following discussion |
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Saturday, April 24 |
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08.00 a.m. |
City Center |
Joe Polowsky Memorial Run (secondary school “Johann Walter”) |
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10.00 a.m. - 01.00 p.m. |
History Association |
Children's and Youth Chess Tourney |
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10.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m. |
Schlossstraße 19 |
Photo Exhibition "Soldiers at the Elbe", Screening of the documentary films "Elbe Meetings" and "Advance of the 69th US-Infantry Division", following discussion starting at 01.30 p.m. |
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10.00 a.m. - 22.00 p.m. |
Brückenkopf 1 (Bridgehead) |
Exhibition about symbols and signs of right-wing extremists |
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starting 11.00 a.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
One-Hour-Trips on the River Elbe with the motor vessel “MS Lutherstadt Wittenberg” |
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00.00 a.m. |
Brückenkopf 1 (Bridgehead) |
Open House and Photo Exhibition describing the History of the Brückenkopf |
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Historic Demonstration of the everyday life in a military hospital organized by the DRK (German Red Cross) |
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00.00 a.m. |
Elbe River Meadows |
Live Music on the main stage and by-stages |
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00.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m. |
Pestalozziweg |
Stage Program on the Club Stage Children' Center: games & design with clubs of the City of Torgau; Presentation of the historic military vehicles, Live Music with the BigBand Bad Liebenwerda, the Orchestra of the Music School „Heinrich Schütz“ and the Jazzfamily from Berlin |
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02.00 p.m. |
Both Elbe River Banks |
Re-enactment of the Historical Link-up of the Soviet and US- ArmyArmies |
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02.30 p.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
Coffee-Party Trip on the Elbe River with the motor vessel MS Lutherstadt Wittenberg |
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03.00 p.m. |
Little Gallery |
„Stalingrad and back“ – book reading by the Author Sandor Kuhlmann (Wolfen) |
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06.30 p.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
Twilight Trip on the Elbe River with the motor vessel MS Lutherstadt Wittenberg |
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07.30 p.m. |
Castle Garden |
concert „Torgau and Europe Nr. 5“ with - Spicy Bits of Scandals (SBS) (LT), - No Dur ( CZ), - Hot Hippo’s (DK), - SMASH OF BROKEN GLASS (PL), - Sperrzone (DE) - Tha Band-Geek mafia (DE) |
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08.30 p.m. |
Market Square |
Children’s Procession of paper lanterns with the brass band Schöna |
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09.00 p.m. |
Kulturbastion (Culture Bastion) |
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10.00 p.m. |
Elbe River Banks |
Great Fireworks |
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10.00 p.m. |
Brückenkopf (Bridgehead) |
Concert with the band „Johnny Wolga“ |
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Sunday, April 25 |
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10.00 – 10.45 a.m. |
Castle Church |
Elbe Day Ecumenical divine service (sermon: provost Siegfried Kasparick) |
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starting 10.00 a.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
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10.00 a.m. – 06.00 p.m. |
Schlossstraße 19 |
Photo Exhibition „Soldiers at the Elbe“, |
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10.00 a.m. - 22.00 p.m. |
Brückenkopf 1 (Bridgehead) |
Exhibition about symbols and signs of right-wing extremists |
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11.00 a.m. – 01.30 p.m. |
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City Hall |
Reception of the mayor for the guests of honor |
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12.00 a.m. – 06.00 p.m. |
Elbe River Meadows and Pestalozziweg |
Music Program on three stages among others with - New Orleans Feetwarmers, - novox, East Star Band, - Christian Seeger Quartett - Dixie Company |
| 12.00 a.m. – 06.00 p.m. |
Pestalozziweg |
Children' Center: games & design with clubs of the City of Torgau |
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02.00 p.m. |
Both Elbe River Banks |
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02.30 p.m. |
Torgau Elbe Jetty |
Coffee-Party Trip on the Elbe River with the motor vessel MS Lutherstadt Wittenberg |
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Elbe River Meadows |
Presentation of the Military Historical Vehicles and Technology |
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Elbe River Meadows |
Historic Demonstration of the everyday life in a military hospital organized by the DRK (German Red Cross) |
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