65th anniversary of ending of WW II

Tomorrow, May 7 is the 65th anniversary of the ending of World War II. Signing took place in Reims on May 7 and in Karlshorst on May 8.

The first Instrument of Surrender was signed at Rheims, France, at 02.41 on May 7, 1945. The signing took place in a red brick schoolhouse that served as the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). It was to take effect at 23.01 Central European time on May 8, 1945.

The unconditional surrender of the German armed forces was signed by Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, on behalf of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and as the representative for the new Reich President, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz. Walter Bedell Smith signed on behalf of the Western allies, and Ivan Susloparov on behalf of the Soviets. French major general François Sevez signed as the official witness.

In Rheims, the United States and Britain acted on behalf of all Allied forces, whereas France, Germany and the USSR acted individually. The Rheims' instrument of surrender was ratified May 8, which was agreed at the time of the May 7 signing.



Signing at Karlshorst
This ratification was a response to both Soviet and British concerns. The Soviets desired a signature in the presence of the Soviet Supreme Commander (Major General Susloparov, who had accepted the May 7 surrender for the Soviets, was only liaison officer at the Western Headquarters). The British wanted the surrender to be signed by the highest military and civilian representatives of the German Reich, in order to avoid a repeat of the "stab in the back" legend which had been cultivated by the Germans after World War I because the armistice had been signed only by a civilian politician and an unknown general. (Jodl, who signed in Rheims, was an officer without the power of command). It was agreed to have the May 7 act ratified with the signatures of the commanders in chief of the Wehrmacht, army, air force and marines, who were brought to Karlshorst, the seat of the Soviet Supreme Commander. The representatives of the Western Headquarters, the United Kingdom, France and the United States entered the dining room of the officers' mess in Karlshorst shortly before midnight. The German delegation, which had been flown in from Flensburg to Tempelhof in a US aircraft, entered the room shortly after midnight after Marshal Georgy Zhukov, the Soviet representative, had opened the ceremony.

The ratification of the German Act of Unconditional Surrender was signed at 00.15 after its regulations had already been in effect for over an hour 23.01 (Central European Time).

Representatives:

Soviet Union: Marshal Georgy Zhukov on behalf of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army. United Kingdom: Air Chief Marshal Arthur William Tedder as Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. United States: General Carl Spaatz, Commanding United States Strategic Air Forces as witness .France: General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, Commanding First French Army, as witness
Germany: Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg as Commander-in-Chief of the navy (Kriegsmarine), Colonel-General Hans-Jürgen Stumpff as the representative of the air force (Luftwaffe),Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel as the Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces and as representative of the army (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht)

Text of the Instrument of Surrender (Rheims)
Only this text in English is authoritative

Act of Military Surrender

1. We the undersigned, acting by authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command all forces on land, sea, and in the air who are at this date under German control.

2. The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23.01 Central European time on May 8 and to remain in the positions occupied at that time. No ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment.

3. The German High Command will at once issue to the appropriate commanders, and ensure the carrying out of any further orders issued by the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and by the Soviet High Command.

4. This act of military surrender is without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by, or on behalf of the United Nations and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.

5. In the event of the German High Command or any of the forces under their control failing to act in accordance with this Act of Surrender, the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and the Soviet High Command will take such punitive or other action as they deem appropriate.

Signed at Rheims at 02.41 France on the 7th day of May, 1945.

On behalf of the German High Command. Alfred Jodl

On behalf of the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force. Walter Bedell Smith

On behalf of the Soviet High Command. Ivan Sousloparov

Major General, French Army (Witness) François Sevez




Text of the Instrument of Surrender (Berlin)

1. We the undersigned, acting by authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Supreme High Command of the Red Army all forces on land, at sea, and in the air who are at this date under German control.

2. The German High Command will at once issue order to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23.01 hours Central European time on 8th May 1945, to remain in all positions occupied at that time and to disarm completely, handing over their weapons and equipment to the local allied commanders or officers designated by Representatives of the Allied Supreme Commands. No ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment, and also to machines of all kinds, armament, apparatus, and all the technical means of prosecution of war in general.

3. The German High Command will at once issue to the appropriate commanders, and ensure the carrying out of any further orders issued by the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and by the Supreme Command of the Red Army.

4. This act of military surrender is without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by, or on behalf of the United Nations and applicable to GERMANY and the German armed forces as a whole.

5. In the event of the German High Command or any of the forces under their control failing to act in accordance with this Act of Surrender, the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and the Supreme High Command of the Red Army will take such punitive or other action as they deem appropriate.

6. This Act is drawn up in the English, Russian and German languages. The English and Russian are the only authentic texts.

Signed at Berlin on the 8 day of May, 1945

Von Friedeburg
Keitel
Stumpff
On behalf of the German High Command

IN THE PRESENCE OF: A.W.Tedder
On behalf of the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force

Georgi Zhukov On behalf of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army

At the signing also were present as witnesses:

F. de Lattre-Tassigny General Commanding in Chief
First French Army

Carl Spaatz, General, Commanding
United States Strategic Air Force