Stunde Null

Zero hour (German: Stunde Null, pronounced [ˈʃtʊndə nʊl]) is a term referring to the capitulation of Germany at midnight on 8 May 1945 and the immediately following weeks in Germany. It marked the end of World War II in Europe and the end of the Nazi regime, and was partly an attempt by Germany to dissociate itself from the Nazis. According to some historians, the term implies "an absolute break with the past and a radical new beginning" or a "sweeping away of old traditions and customs".