The German Surrender Documents - WWII

Instrument of Surrender of All German armed forces in HOLLAND, in northwest Germany including all islands, and in DENMARK.

1. The German Command agrees to the surrender of all armed forces in HOLLAND, in northwest GERMANY including the FRISLIAN ISLANDS and HELIGOLAND and all islands, in SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, and in DENMARK, to the C.-in-C. 21 Army Group.

=This to include all naval ships in these areas.

These forces to lay down their arms and to surrender unconditionally.

2. All hostilities on land, on sea, or in the air by German forces in the above areas to cease at 0800 hrs. British Double Summer Time on Saturday 5 May 1945.

3. The German command to carry out at once, and without argument or comment, all further orders that will be issued by the Allied Powers on any subject.

4. Disobedience of orders, or failure to comply with them, will be regarded as a breach of these surrender terms and will be dealt with by the Allied Powers in accordance with the laws and usages of war.

5. This insturment of surrender is independent of, without pre- judice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the Allied Powers and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.

6. This instument of surrender is written in English and in German. The English version is the authentic text.

7. The decision of the Allied Powers will be final if any doubt or dispute arise as to the meaning or intrepretation of the surrender terms.

=HANS GEORG von FRIEDBERG.

=KINZEL.

=G. WAGNER.

=B. L. MONTGOMERY=
=Field - Marshal= =POLECK.

=FRIEDEL.

=4 May 1945.

=1830 hrs..

{Reichspresident Donitz's authorization to Colonel General Jodl}
{to conclude a general surrender:.

Hauptquartier, den 6. Mai 194.

Ich bevollmachtige Generaloberst J o d l , Chef des Wehrmachtfuhrungsstabes in Oberkommando der Wehrmact, zum Abschluss eines Waffenstill- standsbkommens mit dem Hauptquartier des Generals E i s e n h o w e r .

[ SEAL ] =DONITZ.

GroBadmiral.

Only this text in English is authoritativ.

ACT OF MILITARY SURRENDE.

1. We the undersigned, acting by authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces 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 authorties and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at =2301= hours Central European time on = 8 May = 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 commander, 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 0241= on the =7th= day of May, 1945. =France.

On behalf of the German High Command.

=JODL.

IN THE PRESENCE O.

On behalf of the Supreme Commander, On behalf of the Soviet
Allied Expeditionary Force. High Comman.

=W. B. SMITH= =SOUSLOPAROV.

=F SEVEZ=
Major General, French Army
(Witness.

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORC.

SERIAL .

ORDERS BY THE SUPREME COMMANDER,
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE RELATING TO
ARMY AND AIR FORCES UNDER GERMAN CONTRO.

1. Local commanders of the Army and Air Force under German control on the Western Front, in NORWAY and in the CHANNEL ISLANDS will hold themselves in readiness to receive detailed orders for the surrender of their forces from the Supreme Commander's subordinate commanders opposite their front.

2. In the case of NORWAY the Supreme Commander's representatives will be the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command and Air Officer Commanding 13 Group RAF.

3. In the case of the CHANNEL ISLANDS the Supreme Commander's representatives will be the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command and Air Officer Commanding 10 Group RAF.

=WALTER B SMITH=
Signed....................
For the Supreme Commander, RA.

Dated =0241 7th= May, 1945
=Rheims France=

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