May 8th, 1945 - Germany´s Unconditional Surrender

[:FI:Genosse]

German Surrender Documents ending World War II

May 8, 1945

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 This insturment of surrender is independent of, without pre- judice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the Allied Powers and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.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

Source

In deepest memory to all fallen and senseless killed

[Beowolff]

agreed, Gen. it was a terrible thing to happen in this world---the war. very senseless. may the dead rest in peace.



Beowolff

[:FI:Macca]

May it never ever happen again.



Macca

[Skipper]

Well said Gen



Skipper

[:FI:Fenian]

Now THAT was a an UNCONDITIONAL surrender!

The guy who wrote that letter had defintely had enough.... and not before time...

Shame we are on the verge of creating more hostilities in our fragile little world.

People NEVER learn.

If I could I'd hand in my Human Race membership card....

I pity our children.... (not just my own!!!)

[:FI:TacticalS!]

May 7-8 (1942) - Battle of the Coral Sea
May 7 (1945) - Germany surrenders
May 8 (1945) - V-E Day is celebrated (Canada)

The other event shown on my calendar this month is Armed Forces Day on May 20th in the US. The feature plane is the F4F/FM-2 this month. Great calendar for WW2 aviation freaks! To check this calendar out click here.

[Skipper]

The Dam Buster raid occured 63 years ago in a weeks time (16th/17th May)

I'll hopefully be paying special tribute to Guy Gibson and the other members of 617 Squadron by wtaching the film and flying some il2 dam busting missions

Skipper