Europe Victory Day Parade, Innsbruck Celebrated on May 9th, 1945
In the heart of Innsbruck, Austria, on May 10, 1945, a triumphant parade took place on Rennweg, celebrating the Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day). The event was marked by the presence of various military units, including the 103rd Infantry Division of the Seventh US Army, and delegations from all units of the Cactus Division.
Among the participants were the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 761st Tank Battalion, both composed of African American GIs. However, a stark absence was noted in the film and photo documents of the parade - African American soldiers were not visibly present. This lack of representation is thought to be a reflection of the racial segregation and discriminatory practices common in the U.S. military and media at the time.
The day before, on May 9, the 103rd Infantry Division had celebrated V-E Day in Innsbruck, with a banner reading, "Welcome to Austria. The war is over. Austria will rise again. The Austrian Movement of Liberty welcomes our liberators. America helps Austria regain its freedom."
Following the soldiers, a Polish delegation marched, presumably freed forced laborers in Tyrol. The anti-Nazi resistance in Tyrol also displayed a large bilingual banner behind the generals of the US troops, welcoming the troops and expressing hope for Austria's future.
A platoon from the 614th Battalion had previously been involved in the occupation of the Brenner Pass. Despite their participation in the parade, their presence in the official records remains underrepresented or excluded, a testament to the systemic exclusion and invisibility they faced in official narratives and media portrayals during World War II events.
The banner displayed by the anti-Nazi resistance in Tyrol was a symbol of the liberation and hope for a new beginning that Austria was experiencing. The parade on Rennweg was a celebration of freedom, but it also served as a reminder of the racial inequalities that persisted even in the midst of victory.
Despite the lack of visible representation in documented images and films, the historical records show that African American troops were indeed present and active in the celebrations. This underscores the importance of acknowledging and correcting the historical record to ensure a more accurate and inclusive understanding of the events of World War II.
In contrast to the documented visual evidence, African American soldiers played significant roles in the celebrations of V-E Day in Innsbruck, as historical records show they were part of units like the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 761st Tank Battalion. Regrettably, the persistent racial segregation and discriminatory practices during World War II created an invisible barrier for their visible representation in sports and history, yet their crucial contributions remained undeniably essential.
