Zero hour (1945)
German term for midnight on 8 May 1945 in Germany / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Zero hour (German: Stunde Null, pronounced [ˈʃtʊndə nʊl]) is a term referring to the capitulation at midnight on 8 May 1945 and the immediately following weeks in Germany.[1] It marked the end of World War II in Europe and the start of a new, non-Nazi Germany.[2] It was partly an attempt by Germany to dissociate itself from the Nazis.[2] Denazification was encouraged by the Allies occupying Germany.
The term implies "an absolute break with the past and a radical new beginning" or a "sweeping away of old traditions and customs".[1] People at the time were living in a devastated country – roughly 80 percent of its infrastructure was in need of repair or reconstruction[3] – which helped the idea that Germany was entering a new phase of history.