Remembrance Day was introduced by the German War Graves Commission, founded in 1919, at the suggestion of its Bavarian regional association to commemorate those who died in World War I. The motive was not “mandated” mourning, but rather to send a clear message of solidarity from those who had not suffered any losses to the bereaved families of those who had fallen in battle.

The first official ceremony took place in 1922 in the German Reichstag in Berlin. The then President of the Reichstag, Paul Löbe, gave a speech that attracted considerable attention both at home and abroad, in which he contrasted the idea of reconciliation and understanding with a hostile environment. A committee comprising a wide range of associations, from the major religious communities to the Jewish Women's Association, succeeded in persuading the Volksbund to ensure that Remembrance Day was observed jointly in most states of the Reich on Reminiscere Sunday, the fifth Sunday before Easter.

In 1934, the National Socialist rulers passed a law designating Remembrance Day a national holiday and renaming it “Heroes' Memorial Day.” Until 1945, it was sponsored by the Wehrmacht and the NSDAP. The guidelines on its content and implementation were issued by the Reich Minister of Propaganda. After the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, Remembrance Day was reintroduced by the Volksbund and, in 1950, was celebrated for the first time with a ceremony in the plenary hall of the German Bundestag, in addition to many regional events.

Following an agreement between the federal government, the states, and the major religious communities, the date was moved to the penultimate Sunday in the church year (Protestant) or the 33rd Sunday in the liturgical year (Catholic). The day is protected by state law. Even with the increasing distance from the war, the Volksbund still sees this day of remembrance as a day of mourning. However, Remembrance Day has also become a day of remembrance for reconciliation, understanding, and peace.

Accompanying discussions and educational events take place around the central commemoration ceremony in Berlin, but also in many other places throughout Germany, bringing historical topics, individual biographies, or questions about grief and the consequences of war experiences to a wider public. Traditional forms of remembrance are supplemented by new interactive formats such as memorial walks, peace stones, or name bricks.

Remembrance Day is observed worldwide by German embassies and communities abroad, as well as by the Volksbund's branches at German war graves. Larger or smaller events are held with the participation of international partners and often also the local authorities and residents of the cemetery locations.

The central commemoration ceremony in the German Bundestag also features contributions from international speakers or youth groups in accordance with the respective commemorative occasions. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke in 2018 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the former mayor of Wrocław, Dr. Rafał Dutkiewicz, spoke in 2019 in commemoration of the beginning of World War II, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales spoke in 2020 on the 75th anniversary of the end of the war.

Today, the Volksbund maintains the graves of some 2.8 million war dead in over 832 war cemeteries in 46 countries on behalf of the German government. It is supported in this work by more than a million members and sponsors, as well as the German government.

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