The time of signing the surrender. Act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany

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the USSR the USSR,
Great Britain Great Britain,
USA USA,
France France

Act of unconditional surrender of the German armed forces (English) German Instrument of Surrender, fr. Actes de capitulation de l'Allemagne Nazie, German Bedingungslose Kapitulation der Wehrmacht) - a legal document that established a truce on the fronts of the Second World War directed against Germany, obliging the German military to stop resistance, surrender personnel and transfer the materiel of the armed forces to the enemy, which actually meant Germany's withdrawal from the war.

The act was signed by representatives of the High Command of the Wehrmacht, the High Command of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union on May 7 at 02:41 am in Reims (France). The capitulation of Nazi Germany took effect on May 8 at 23:01 CET.

The dates of the official announcement by the heads of state of the signing of surrender - May 8 in European countries and May 9 in the USSR - began to be celebrated in the respective countries as Victory Day.

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The signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Germany / German Instrument of Surrender

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The idea of Germany's unconditional surrender was first announced by President Roosevelt on January 13, 1943 at a conference in Casablanca and has since become the official position of the United Nations. The draft text of the instrument of surrender since January 1944 was developed by the European Consultative Commission; the text (called the "Terms of Surrender of Germany") was agreed at the end of July and approved by the heads of the allied governments. This extensive document was sent, in particular, to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (S.H.A.E.F), where, however, it was perceived not as a mandatory instruction, but as a recommendation. Therefore, when on May 4-5, 1945, the question of Germany's surrender practically arose, the allied headquarters did not use the existing document (perhaps fearing that disputes over the political articles contained in it would complicate negotiations with the Germans), but developed their own short, purely military document, which was eventually signed. The text was developed by a group of American officers from the entourage of the Allied Commander-in-Chief Dwight Eisenhower; the primary writer of the text was Colonel Filimor of the 3rd (Operational) Division of SHAEF. In order not to contradict the draft of the European Commission, at the suggestion of the British diplomat Ambassador Wynand, Article 4 was introduced into the text of the document, suggesting the possibility of replacing this act with “another general instrument of surrender concluded by or on behalf of the United Nations” (some Russian sources, however, they attribute the idea of this article to the Soviet representative under the command of the Allies, Susloparov).

Partial surrenders

On the same day, a meeting was held at the new head of the German government, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz. Assessing the military situation as hopeless, the conference participants decided to concentrate their main efforts on saving as many Germans as possible from the Red Army, avoiding military operations in the West and continuing operations against the Anglo-Americans only to the extent that they would hinder attempts German troops evade the Red Army. Since, in view of the agreements between the USSR and the Western Allies, it is difficult to achieve surrender only in the West, a policy of private surrenders at the level of army groups and below should be pursued.

On May 4, Admiral of the Fleet Hans-Georg Friedeburg, newly appointed commander-in-chief of the German Navy, signed the act of surrender of all German armed forces in Holland, Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein and North-West Germany to Field Marshal B. Montgomery's 21st Army Group.

On May 5, Infantry General F. Schultz, who commanded Army Group G, operating in Bavaria and Western Austria, surrendered to the American General D. Devers. However, in the south, the Reich still had a large grouping of army groups "Center" and "Austria" (formerly "South") under the command of Field Marshal Albert Kesselring.

First act

Having signed the act of surrender of German troops in the north on May 4 in Lüneburg, Admiral Friedeburg went to Eisenhower's headquarters, located in Reims, in order to put before him, on behalf of Dönitz, the question of the surrender of German troops on the Western Front. Since, due to bad weather, he was forced to travel from Brussels to Reims by car, the German delegation arrived in Reims only by 17:00 on May 5. Meanwhile, Eisenhower told his chief of staff, Walter Bedell Smith, that there would be no bargaining with the Germans and he did not intend to see the Germans until they signed the terms of surrender. The negotiations were entrusted to Generals W. B. Smith and Carl Strong (the latter was involved in the negotiations for the surrender of Italy in 1943).

The negotiations took place in the premises of the operational department of the allied headquarters (this headquarters was located in the building, which was called the "red school building", in fact - in the building of the technical college). In order to demonstrate to Friedeburg the futility of the German position, Smith ordered the walls to be hung with maps indicating the situation on the fronts, as well as maps indicating the strikes allegedly being prepared by the Allies. These maps made a great impression on Friedeburg. Friedeburg offered Smith the surrender of the remaining German forces on the Western Front; Smith replied that Eisenhower refused to continue negotiations unless the offer of surrender also applied to the Eastern Front: only a general surrender was possible, and the troops in the West and East should remain in their places. Friedeburg replied to this that he did not have the authority to sign a general surrender. Having studied the text of the act of surrender presented to him, Friedeburg telegraphed Dönitz, asking permission to sign a general surrender or send Keitel and the commanders of the air and naval forces for this.

Dönitz found the terms of surrender unacceptable and sent Jodl to Reims, who was known as a categorical opponent of surrender in the East. Jodl had to explain to Eisenhower why a general surrender was impossible. He arrived in Reims on the evening of 6 May. After an hour of discussion with him, Smith and Strong came to the conclusion that the Germans were simply playing for time in order to have time to transport as many troops and refugees to the West as possible, which they reported to Eisenhower. The latter told Smith to tell the Germans that “If they do not stop looking for excuses and stalling for time, I will immediately close the entire Allied front and stop the flow of refugees by force through the location of our troops. I will not tolerate any further delay.". Having received this answer, Jodl realized that his situation was hopeless, and requested from Dönitz the authority for a general surrender. Dönitz called Eisenhower's behavior "a real blackmail", however, also realizing the hopelessness of the situation, shortly after midnight on May 7 instructed Keitel to answer: "Grand Admiral Dönitz grants full authority to sign in accordance with the terms offered". The signing ceremony was scheduled for 2:30 am. The act of surrender was to come into force at 23:01 on May 8, that is, almost two days after signing - Dönitz hoped to use this time to move as many troops and refugees to the West as possible.

May 6 at SHAEF representatives of the allied commands were summoned: members of the Soviet mission, General Susloparov and Colonel Zenkovich, as well as the deputy chief Supreme Headquarters National Defense of France, General Sevez (Chief of Staff, General Juyn, was in San Francisco at the founding conference of the UN). Eisenhower did his best to calm the suspicions of the Soviet representatives, who believed that the Anglo-American allies were ready to conspire with the Germans behind their backs. As for the role of Sevez, who signed the act as a witness, it turned out to be insignificant: the general, being a pure military man, did not try to defend the prestigious interests of France and, in particular, did not protest against the absence of the French flag in the room where the capitulation was signed. Eisenhower himself refused to participate in the signing ceremony for protocol reasons, since the German side was represented by the chief of staff, and not by the commander in chief - the ceremony was thus held at the level of chiefs of staff.

The act was signed on May 7 at 02:41 (Central European time) by the chief of the operational headquarters of the Supreme Command of the German Army, Colonel General Alfred Jodl. The surrender was accepted: from the Anglo-American side, Lieutenant General of the US Army, Chief of the General Staff of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Walter Bedell Smith, from the USSR - the representative of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command under the command of the Allies, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov. The act was also signed by Brigadier General François Sevez, Deputy Chief of the French National Defense Staff, as a witness.The English text of this act is authentic.

Although a group of 17 journalists attended the signing ceremony, the US and Britain agreed to delay the public announcement of the surrender so that the Soviet Union could prepare a second surrender ceremony in Berlin. An oath was taken from the reporters that they would report the surrender only 36 hours later - at exactly 3 pm on May 8, 1945.

Without waiting for the announcement of the ceremony, Dönitz gave (at 1:35 a.m.) the following order to Field Marshal Kesselring and General Winter, which was also transmitted for information to the commander of the Army Group Center F. Scherner, the commander of the troops in Austria L. von Rendulich and the commander of the troops of Yugo - East A. Leroux: “The task is to withdraw to the west as many troops operating on the Eastern Front as possible, while breaking through, if necessary, with a fight through the location of Soviet troops. Stop immediately any fighting against the Anglo-American troops and order the troops to surrender to them. The general surrender will be signed today at Eisenhower's headquarters. Eisenhower promised Colonel General Jodl that hostilities would cease on May 9, 1945 at 0000 hours German summer time ... " .

On May 7 at 14:41 German radio (from Flensburg) officially announced the signing of the surrender. The foreign minister of the Dönitz government, Count Schwerin von Krosig, delivered the following speech:

Germans and Germans!
The Supreme High Command of the Wehrmacht, on the orders of Grand Admiral Dönitz, announced the unconditional surrender of the German troops. As the leading minister of the imperial government, formed by the grand admiral to complete all military tasks, I appeal to the German people at this tragic moment in our history ...
No one should be mistaken about the severity of the conditions that our opponents will impose on us. It is necessary, without any loud phrases, to clearly and soberly look them in the face. No one can doubt that the coming times will be harsh for each of us and will require sacrifices from us in all areas of life. We are obliged to bring them and be loyal to all the obligations that we undertake. But we do not dare to despair and indulge in dull resignation to fate. We must find a way to get out of this darkness on the road of our future. Let the three guiding stars, which have always been the guarantee of a truly German essence, be unity, law and freedom ...
We must base our people's life on law. Justice must become the supreme law and the main guiding thread for our people. We must recognize law both out of inner conviction and as the basis of our relations with other peoples. Respect for the treaties that have been concluded must be as sacred to us as the feeling of belonging to the European family of peoples, as a member of which we want to bring all our human, moral and material powers to the peak in order to heal the terrible wounds inflicted by the war.
Then we can hope that the atmosphere of hatred that now surrounds Germany throughout the world will give way to that reconciliation of peoples, without which the improvement of the world is unthinkable, and that freedom will again give us its signal, without which no people can live decently and with dignity.
We want to see the future of our people in the realization of the deepest and best forces of every living person to whom the world has given enduring creations and values. With pride in the heroic struggle of our people, we will combine the desire, as a link in Western Christian culture, to contribute to honest peaceful labor in the spirit of the best traditions of our people. May God not leave us in our trouble, may he sanctify our difficult work!

An hour later, the German surrender was reported by the Associated Press, whose reporter, Edward Kennedy, after the German report, considered himself free from the promise to keep the event secret. However, Kennedy was fired from the agency, and the silence about surrender continued in the West for another day - only on the afternoon of May 8 was it officially announced. In the Soviet Union, information about the surrender on May 7 was also initially banned, but then, after the signing of the final act in Karlshorst, the Reims preliminary surrender protocol was mentioned by J. V. Stalin in his address to the Soviet people, broadcast by radio at 21 o’clock May 9.

According to most sources, on May 8 at 22:43 CET (at 00:43, May 9, Moscow time) in the Berlin suburb of Karlshorst, in the building of the former canteen of the military engineering school, the final act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed. The text of the act does not indicate the exact date of its signing - May 8, 1945 is indicated. Some sources indicate the date of signing the act after midnight CET, that is, May 9 - at about 00:15 or 00:43 (Keitel signed at 00:16).

Thus, at the time of signing the final act, it was 23.15 in Western European time, 00.15 in Central European time, and 02.15 in Moscow.

The text of the act basically repeats verbatim the text of May 7, including even Article 4, which has now lost its real meaning. The Karlshorst Act also confirmed the time of the ceasefire - May 8 at 23:01 CET (May 9 at 01:01 Moscow time). The changes in the text of the act were as follows:

in the English text, the expression Soviet High Command (Soviet High Command) was replaced by a more accurate translation of the Soviet term: Supreme High Command of the Red Army (Supreme High Command of the Red Army);
the part of Article 2, which deals with the obligation of the Germans to hand over military equipment intact and safe, has been expanded and detailed;
the indication of the act on May 7 was withdrawn: "Only this text in English is authoritative" and inserted article 6, which read: “This act is drawn up in Russian, English and German. Only Russian and English texts are authentic".

From the German side, the act was signed by: Field Marshal, Chief of the Supreme High Command of the Wehrmacht Wilhelm Keitel, representative of the Luftwaffe - Colonel General Stumpf and the Kriegsmarine - Admiral von Friedeburg. Unconditional surrender was accepted by Marshal Zhukov (from the Soviet side) and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Force Marshal Tedder (Eng. Arthur William Tedder) (Great Britain). As witnesses, General

Photos from open sources

In 1945, on May 8, in Karshorst (a suburb of Berlin) at 22.43 Central European time, the final Act of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its armed forces was signed. It is no coincidence that this act is called final, since it was not the first.

Since the moment Soviet troops closed the ring around Berlin, the German military leadership faced the historical question of preserving Germany as such. For obvious reasons, the German generals wanted to capitulate to the Anglo-American troops, continuing the war with the USSR.

To sign the surrender to the Allies, the German command sent a special group and on the night of May 7 in the city of Reims (France) a preliminary act of Germany's surrender was signed. This document stipulated the possibility of continuing the war against Soviet army.

However, the absolute condition of the Soviet Union remained the demand for the unconditional surrender of Germany as a fundamental condition for the complete cessation of hostilities. The Soviet leadership considered the signing of the act in Reims only an intermediate document, and was also convinced that the act of surrender of Germany should be signed in the capital of the aggressor country.

At the insistence of the Soviet leadership, the generals and personally Stalin, the representatives of the allies gathered again in Berlin and on May 8, 1945 signed another act of surrender of Germany together with the main winner - the USSR. That is why the German Unconditional Surrender Act is called final.

The solemn signing ceremony of the act was organized in the building of the Berlin Military Engineering School and was chaired by Marshal Zhukov. Under the final Act of unconditional surrender of Germany and its armed forces are the signatures of Field Marshal W. Keitel, Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy Admiral von Friedeburg, Colonel General of Aviation G. Stumpf. On the part of the Allies, the Act was signed by G.K. Zhukov and British Marshal A. Tedder.

After the signing of the Act, the German government was dissolved, and the defeated German troops completely laid down their arms. Between May 9 and 17, Soviet troops captured about 1.5 million people. German soldiers and officers, as well as 101 generals. The Great Patriotic War ended with the complete victory of the Soviet army and its people.

In the USSR, the signing of the final Act of Germany's unconditional surrender was announced when it was already May 9, 1945 in Moscow. Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR in commemoration of the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War Soviet people against the Nazi invaders, May 9 was declared Victory Day.

Kyiv, May 8 - RIA Novosti Ukraine. Seventy-one years ago, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany was signed.

Below is some background information.

On May 8, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany was signed, a legal document establishing a truce on the fronts of World War II directed against Germany, obliging the German armed forces to stop resistance, surrender personnel and transfer materiel to the enemy, and in fact meant the withdrawal of Germany from the war.

The document marked the years 1941-1945 and the end of World War II in Europe.

The act of surrender was signed twice.

IN recent months the existence of the Nazi regime in Germany, the authorities intensified numerous attempts to conclude a separate peace with the Western powers. The German generals planned to capitulate to the Anglo-American troops, continuing the war with the USSR. To sign the surrender in Reims (France), where the headquarters of the commander of the Western Allies, US Army General Dwight Eisenhower, was located, the German command sent a special group that tried to achieve a separate surrender on the Western Front, but the allied governments did not consider it possible to go to such negotiations.

Under these conditions, the German envoy Alfred Jodl agreed to the final signing of the act of surrender, having previously received permission from the German leadership, but the authority given to Jodl remained the wording to conclude an "armistice agreement with General Eisenhower's headquarters."

On May 7, 1945, Germany's unconditional surrender was signed for the first time in Reims. On behalf of the German High Command, it was signed by Colonel General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Operations of the High Command of the Armed Forces of Germany, on behalf of the Anglo-American side, Lieutenant General of the US Army, Chief of the General Staff of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Walter Bedell Smith, on behalf of the USSR - the representative of the Stavka Supreme High Command under the command of the Allies, Major General Ivan Susloparov.

Also, the Act was signed by the Deputy Chief of the French National Defense Staff, Brigadier General Francois Sevez, as a witness. The capitulation of Nazi Germany came into force on May 8 at 23.01 CET (May 9 at 01.01 Kyiv time). The document was drawn up in English and only the English text was recognized as official.

The Soviet representative, General Susloparov, who by this time had not received instructions from the Supreme High Command, signed the act with the proviso that this document should not exclude the possibility of signing another act at the request of one of the allied countries.

The text of the act of surrender signed in Reims differed from the document that had long been developed and agreed between the allies. The document, entitled "Germany's Unconditional Surrender", was approved by the US government on August 9, 1944, the Soviet government on August 21, 1944, and the British government on September 21, 1944, and was an extensive text of fourteen clearly worded articles in which, in addition to the military terms of surrender, it was also said that the USSR, the USA and England "will have supreme power in relation to Germany" and will present additional political, administrative, economic, financial, military and other demands. In contrast, the text signed at Reims was brief, containing only five articles, and dealt exclusively with the surrender of German armies on the battlefield.

After that, in the West, the war was considered over. On this basis, the United States and Great Britain proposed that on May 8 the leaders of the three powers officially declare victory over Germany. The Soviet government did not agree and demanded the signing of an official act of unconditional surrender of Germany, since the fighting on the Soviet-German front was still ongoing. Forced to sign the Reims Act, the German side immediately violated it. German Chancellor Admiral Karl Doenitz ordered the German troops on the Eastern Front to retreat to the west as quickly as possible, and if necessary, fight their way there.

Stalin stated that the Act should be solemnly signed in Berlin: “The treaty signed in Reims cannot be canceled, but it cannot be recognized. , — in Berlin, and not in unilaterally, and necessarily the supreme command of all countries anti-Hitler coalition After this declaration, the Allies agreed to hold a ceremony for the second signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Germany and its armed forces in Berlin.

Since it was not easy to find a whole building in the destroyed Berlin, it was decided to carry out the procedure for signing the act on the outskirts of Berlin Karlshorst in the building where the club of the fortification school of sappers of the German Wehrmacht used to be. It was prepared for this room.

The acceptance of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany from the Soviet side was entrusted to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. Under the protection of British officers, a German delegation was brought to Karlshorst, which had the authority to sign an act of unconditional surrender.

On May 8, at exactly 22:00 CET (24:00 Kiev time), representatives of the Soviet Supreme High Command, as well as the Allied High Command, entered a hall decorated with state flags Soviet Union, USA, Britain and France. Present in the hall Soviet generals, whose troops participated in the storming of Berlin, as well as Soviet and foreign journalists. The signing ceremony was opened by Marshal Zhukov, who greeted the representatives of the allied armies in Berlin occupied by the Soviet Army.

After that, on his orders, the German delegation was brought into the hall. At the suggestion of the Soviet representative, the head of the German delegation presented a document on his powers, signed by Doenitz. The German delegation was then asked whether it had the Act of Unconditional Surrender in hand and whether it had studied it. After an affirmative answer, the representatives of the German armed forces, at the sign of Marshal Zhukov, signed an act drawn up in nine copies (three copies each in Russian, English and German). Then the representatives of the allied forces put their signatures.

From the German side, the act was signed by the head of the Wehrmacht Supreme High Command, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, the Luftwaffe (Air Force) representative, Colonel General Hans Stumpf, and the Kriegsmarine (Navy Forces) representative, Admiral Hans von Friedeburg. Unconditional surrender was accepted by Marshal Georgy Zhukov (from the Soviet side) and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Marshal Arthur Tedder (Great Britain). General Carl Spaats (USA) and General Jean de Latre de Tassigny (France) put their signatures as witnesses. The document stipulated that only the English and Russian texts were authentic. One copy of the act was immediately handed over to Keitel. Another original copy of the act on the morning of May 9 was delivered by plane to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army.

The procedure for signing the surrender ended on May 8 at 22.43 CET (May 9 at 0.43 Kyiv time). In conclusion, a large reception was held in the same building for representatives of the allies and guests, which lasted until the morning.

After the signing of the act, the German government was dissolved, and the German troops completely laid down their arms.

The date of the official announcement of the signing of the surrender (May 8 in Europe and America, May 9 in the USSR) began to be celebrated as Victory Day in Europe and the USSR, respectively.

A complete copy (i.e., in three languages) of the German Military Surrender Act, as well as an original document signed by Doenitz, certifying the credentials of Keitel, Friedeburg and Stumpf, are stored in the collection of international treaty acts of the Archive foreign policy Russian Federation. Another original copy of the act is located in Washington in the US National Archives.

The document signed in Berlin is, with the exception of minor details, a repetition of the text signed in Reims, but it was important that the German command surrendered in Berlin itself.

The act also contains an article that provided for the replacement of the signed text with "another general instrument of surrender." Such a document, called the "Declaration on the Defeat of Germany and the Assumption of Supreme Power by the Governments of the Four Allied Powers," was signed on June 5, 1945, in Berlin by the four Allied Commanders-in-Chief. It almost completely reproduced the text of the document on unconditional surrender, worked out in London by the European Consultative Commission and approved by the governments of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain in 1944.

Now in the building where the signing of the act took place, there is a German-Russian museum "Berlin-Karlshorst".

From the moment the Soviet troops closed the ring around Berlin, the German military leadership faced the historical question of preserving Germany as such. For obvious reasons, the German generals wanted to capitulate to the Anglo-American troops, continuing the war with the USSR.

After the signing of the Act, the German government was dissolved, and the defeated German troops were completely laid down. Between May 9 and 17, Soviet troops captured about 1.5 million German soldiers and officers, as well as 101 generals. The Great Patriotic War ended with the complete victory of the Soviet army and its people.

In the USSR, the signing of the final Act of Germany's unconditional surrender was announced when it was already May 9, 1945 in Moscow. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, in commemoration of the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders, May 9 was declared Victory Day.

On May 7, Nazi Germany made one last try save themselves from complete defeat by concluding a separate peace with the allies of the USSR, but they did not succeed.

Allied army commanders insisted on complete and unconditional surrender with the participation of the USSR

From May 2 to May 4, a meeting of the top military leadership of the Third Reich was held at Doenitz's headquarters.

It was attended by Admiral Doenitz, Field Marshal Keitel, Colonel General Jodl, Field Marshals Scherner, Ritter von Greim and other senior ranks of the German army. There was a question of capitulation to the allied Anglo-American troops and the further resistance of the Red Army.

The issue of concluding an anti-Bolshevik alliance with the Americans and the British was especially sharply discussed. The death of Hitler, as it seemed to the new German leaders, destroyed the last obstacle to this.

German leaders felt that with the death of the Fuhrer, the West would view Germany and its army as a bulwark against Bolshevism in Europe.

That is why Admiral Karl Dönitz, who succeeded Hitler, tried to split East and West and save what was left of Germany by partial surrender only to the Western Allies. However, upon receiving offers from the German government of Doenitz to conclude an alliance, US President Harry Truman replied that the only acceptable one was unconditional surrender to the entire Big Three states - the USA, Great Britain and the USSR.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill supported him. General Eisenhower, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in Europe, also fully agreed with Truman's policy.

Meanwhile, the German leadership tried to shake the unanimous opinion of the allies with proposals for a separate peace and the continuation of hostilities. German soldiers on the Eastern Front, rightly fearing capture and revenge by the Red Army, fought desperately.

On the Western Front, they surrendered as soon as they saw the allies. The civilian population fled to the West to end up in the Anglo-American zone after the end of the war. On May 1, Admiral Doenitz, in his radio address to German nation said that the Wehrmacht would "fight against Bolshevism as long as German troops and hundreds of thousands of families remain in the eastern part of Germany."

But on May 5, he realized that Eisenhower would not accept surrender only to the Western Allies, so he tried to achieve his goal by surrendering German divisions and armies in the West and continuing to fight in the East. On May 4, Dönitz sent his representative, Admiral Hans von Friedeburg, to the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Forces (VShSES) in Reims with the task of negotiating the surrender of the remaining German troops in the West.

Eisenhower continued to insist that total surrender should take place simultaneously on East and Western fronts. Von Friedeburg was interviewed by Chief of Staff General Smith and General Strong, who before the war had served as military attaché in Berlin and spoke excellent German.

Eisenhower refused to meet German officers until the signing of the document of complete and unconditional surrender. General Smith told von Friedeburg that negotiations were not forthcoming and suggested that he sign a document of complete surrender.

Friedeburg replied that he did not have the authority to do so.

General Smith, in turn, showed Friedeburg some of the operational staff maps, which clearly showed the overwhelming superiority of the Allied forces and the hopelessness of the position of the German troops. Admiral von Friedeburg urgently telegraphed Doenitz, asking him for permission to sign an unconditional surrender.

Alfred Jodl

However, the head of the German government did not give such permission. Instead, he made a final attempt to split the alliance of the three powers by sending to Reims Colonel General Alfred Jodl, chief of the operations department of the German army headquarters. Jodl arrived there on May 6, Sunday evening.

He again negotiated with Generals Smith and Strong, emphasizing that the Germans were ready and willing to capitulate to the West, but not to the Red Army. Jodl frankly declared his intention to "preserve for the German nation as many Germans as possible and save them from Bolshevism."

Moreover, he said that nothing could force the troops of Generals Lehr and Rendulich, Field Marshal Scherner, to execute the order of complete and unconditional surrender, as long as they had the opportunity to withdraw to areas occupied by American and British troops. In other words, Colonel General Jodl refused to surrender the German troops in the East.

In turn, General Smith once again confirmed the previous demands for surrender to all allies. After that, Jodl asked for two days to "so that the necessary instructions reached all German units." In response, Smith pointed out the impossibility of fulfilling such a request. Negotiations dragged on for another hour and ended in vain. General Smith reported the difficulties in the negotiations to Eisenhower.

It was clear to Eisenhower that Jodl was trying to buy time so that as many German soldiers and civilians as possible could cross the Elbe and get away from the Red Army.

He asked Smith to tell the German general that if he did not sign a document on complete and unconditional surrender, then the allied command would interrupt all negotiations and put up a reliable force barrier in front of the refugees. But Eisenhower nevertheless decided to give Yodl the 48 hours of respite requested ...

American General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) and British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder (Arthur William Tedder, 1890-1967) at a press conference after the signing of the German surrender in Reims on May 7, 1945.

General Smith relayed Eisenhower's reply to Jodl, who telegraphed Doenitz asking for permission to sign the document. The head of the Reich called Eisenhower's demands "arm twisting."

Nevertheless, he was forced to accept them, consoling himself with the fact that for a 48-hour delay the Germans would be able to save a lot of their troops. Just after midnight on May 7, Doenitz sent the following telegram to Jodl: “You are given the full right to sign a surrender on the terms set forth. Admiral Doenitz.

The head of the Soviet military mission at the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, Major General I.A. Susloparov, says that on the evening of May 6, 1945, Eisenhower's adjutant flew to him.

General Susloparov

He conveyed the invitation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces to urgently arrive at his headquarters in Reims. Eisenhower received Susloparov at his residence. Smiling, he said that the German Colonel General Jodl had arrived with a proposal to capitulate to the Anglo-American troops and begin joint military operations against the Red Army.

—What do you say, Mr. General? Eisenhower asked.

I.A. Susloparov knew that the German Admiral Friedeburg had been sitting at the headquarters of the commander-in-chief for several days, who, however, could not persuade Eisenhower to a separate agreement. Therefore, the Soviet representative replied that there were obligations jointly accepted by the members of the anti-Hitler coalition at the Crimean Conference regarding the unconditional surrender of enemy troops on all fronts, including the Eastern one.

General Eisenhower informed Susloparov that he demanded from Jodl the complete surrender of Germany and would not accept any other. And that the Germans were forced to agree to this.

Then the Commander-in-Chief asked Susloparov to inform Moscow of the text of the surrender, get approval there and sign it on behalf of the Soviet Union. Moreover, the time and place, according to Eisenhower, had already been appointed - 2 hours 30 minutes on May 7, 1945, in the premises of the operational department of the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief.

The draft protocol received by Susloparov spoke of the unconditional surrender of all land, sea and air armed forces located to present moment under German control.

The German command was obliged to give an order to cease hostilities at 00:01 on May 9, 1945, while all troops subordinate to it had to remain in their positions. It was forbidden to disable weapons and other means of warfare. The German command guaranteed the execution of all orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Forces and the Soviet Supreme High Command.

The head of the Soviet military mission, General Susloparov, had very little time left to receive instructions from his government.

He sent an urgent telegram to Moscow about the forthcoming act of signing the surrender and the text of the protocol. He also asked for special instructions. By the time Susloparov's telegram reached and was reported to its destination, several hours had passed.

In Reims, it was past midnight, the time had come to sign the surrender, and instructions from Moscow still did not come. The position of the head of the Soviet military mission turned out to be very difficult. Everything now depended on him, his decision. Put your signature on behalf of the Soviet Union or refuse?

General Susloparov understood that the signing of Germany's surrender only to the Western allies could turn out, in the event of any oversight on his part, the greatest misfortune for the Soviet Union and for him personally. At the same time, the horrors of war rose before the eyes of the general, when every minute takes away many human lives. So he decides to sign the document.

At the same time, while providing an opportunity for the Soviet Union to influence the subsequent course of events, if necessary, Susloparov made a note to him.

It stated that this protocol does not exclude the further signing of another, more perfect German Surrender Act, if any allied government declares so. Commander-in-Chief General Eisenhower and representatives of other powers at his headquarters agreed with the note.

At 2 am on May 7, 1945, Generals Smith, Morgan, Bull, Spaats, Tedder, the head of the Soviet military mission, General Susloparov, and the French representative gathered on the second floor in the recreation room of the Reims Polytechnic School for Men. General Strong served as an interpreter. The rest room was shaped like the letter "G" with a single small window.

There were many military maps around. Pins, arrows and other staff symbols on them testified to the complete defeat of Germany.

Due to the relatively small area of the room, the allied officers squeezed one by one to their chairs, which stood around a massive oak table. When everyone took their places, Colonel-General Jodl was brought into the room, accompanied by Admiral Friedeburg and their adjutants.

Tall, straight as a stick, neatly dressed, Jodl with his invariable monocle served as a model of the Prussian general. He bowed dryly to those present. The procedure for signing the protocol on the surrender of Germany began, which took no more than half an hour.

The protocol itself looked like this:

MILITARY SURRENDER OF GERMANY

Only real text in English is an authentic document

Act of military surrender

We, the undersigned, acting under the authority of the German High Command, hereby declare the unconditional surrender of all land, sea and air forces now under German control to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command.
The German High Command undertakes to issue one-time orders to all German land, sea and air forces and all military forces under German control, to cease all active operations from 2301 hours CET on May 8, and to remain in their current locations. . It is forbidden to destroy any ships, vessels or aircraft, as well as to cause any damage to their hull, mechanism or equipment.
The German High Command undertakes to simultaneously issue appropriate orders and ensure the execution of further orders issued by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces and the Soviet High Command.
This act of surrender does not limit the general act of surrender drawn up on behalf of the United Nations in relation to Germany and the German armed forces in general, and will be superseded by it.
In the event that the German High Command or any forces under its control fail to comply with the provisions of this Instrument of Surrender, Supreme Commander The Allied Expeditionary Forces and the Soviet High Command may take punitive and other measures as they deem necessary.

On behalf of the German High Command.

Jodl

IN THE PRESENCE

On behalf of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces.

V.B. Smith

F. Seve

Major General of the French Army

On behalf of the Soviet High Command.

Susloparov"

While the procedure was going on, General Eisenhower waited in a nearby office, pacing back and forth, smoking cigarette after cigarette. He claimed that he would not speak to the German officers until they had signed the protocol. Finally, the moment of victory over Nazi Germany has come!

Eisenhower wrote later in his book The European Campaign that, logically, he should have felt uplifted, joyful, but, on the contrary, he felt completely broken. Eisenhower did not sleep for almost three days, now it was deep night, and he wanted everything to end quickly.

Representatives of the German command approach the table to sign the surrender in Reims on May 7, 1945

General Jodl signing the German surrender at Reims on May 7, 1945

The Chief of Staff of the Allies in Europe, American Lieutenant General Bedell Smith (Walter Bedell "Beetle" Smith, 1895 - 1961) signs the act of surrender of Germany in Reims on May 7, 1945.

In the photo on the left is the Chief of Staff of the British Navy Admiral Sir Harold Burrough (Harold Martin Burrough, 1889-1977), on the right is the head of the USSR military mission in France, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov

The Commander-in-Chief sat down at his desk. Yodl bowed and stood at attention. Eisenhower asked if he understood the terms of surrender and was ready to fulfill them. Jodl answered yes.

Eisenhower then warned him of personal responsibility for violating them. Yodl bowed again and left. Eisenhower got up and went to the headquarters room. There he gathered all the staff officers and representatives of the allied forces. Photographers were also called in to capture the solemn event for history.

Eisenhower prepared a short press release and recorded his radio speech. He congratulated everyone on the victory. With the journalists gone, it was time to send the message of Germany's surrender to the Big Three heads of state and headquarters. Each of the officers and generals was looking for words and spectacular phrases to express the greatness of the event. Eisenhower silently listened and watched.

Each subsequent version was more pompous than the previous one. The Supreme Commander, finally, thanking those present, rejected all proposals and dictated his own: "The task facing the allied forces was completed at 02.41 local time on May 7, 1945." That was the message of history...

In the photo from left to right:

Chief of the USSR military mission in France, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov (1897–1974), Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), British Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan (Frederick Edgeworth Morgan, 1894– 1967), American Lieutenant General Bedell Smith (Walter Bedell "Beetle" Smith, 1895 - 1961)

American radio commentator Harry C. Butcher, American General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder (Arthur William Tedder, 1890-1967) and Chief of Staff of the British Navy Admiral Sir Harold Burro ( Harold Martin Burrough, 1889-1977).

He still managed to smile in front of the cameras, raise his fingers in the form of the letter "V", symbolizing victory, and left.

“As far as I understand,” he said quietly to the adjutant, “the event requires a bottle of champagne.”

They brought champagne, opened it to soft exclamations. Drank to win. Terrible fatigue pressed on everyone, so those present soon dispersed.

The head of the USSR military mission in France, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov (1897-1974) shakes hands with the commander of the allied forces in Europe, American General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) at the signing of the act of surrender of Germany in Reims on May 7, 1945 .
To the left of I.A. Susloparov - his adjutant senior lieutenant Ivan Chernyaev.

After Eisenhower congratulated General Susloparov on the signing of the German surrender protocol and victory, the head of the Soviet military mission prepared and sent his report to Moscow.

Meanwhile, a counter message was already coming from the Kremlin, in which the general was ordered not to sign any documents on surrender ....

REACTION OF THE USSR

In the meantime, on the morning of May 7, the notice of Germany's surrender, signed at Reims, was received in Moscow. Colonel-General S.M. Shtemenko, who was then the head of the operational department General Staff Red Army and often invited to the Kremlin, testifies ...

When the telegram from Reims was received, the Chief of the General Staff A.I. Antonov summoned Shtemenko and ordered that a draft directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command be drawn up regarding the capitulation that had taken place.

He showed him a letter just sent to Antonov by the head of the US military mission, Dean, which contained the following: “... This afternoon I received an urgent message from the president in which he asks Marshal Stalin to give his consent to announce the surrender of Germany today at 19.00 Moscow time.

We received an answer through the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs that this could not be done, because the Soviet government still had not received from its representatives at Eisenhower's headquarters information about the surrender of Germany.

I (i.e. US Head of Mission Dee) informed President Truman of this and received a response that he would not make an official announcement until 9 am Washington time on May 8, or 4 pm Moscow time, unless Marshal Stalin expressed his consent to earlier hour..."

Soon followed by a call to the Kremlin, to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Stalin.

In the office, besides Stalin himself, there were members of the government. The Supreme Commander, as usual, walked slowly along the carpet. His whole appearance expressed extreme displeasure. The surrender of Germany at Reims was discussed.

Stalin summed up the results, thinking aloud.

He noticed that the Allies had arranged a unilateral agreement with the Dönitz government. And such an agreement is more like a conspiracy.

In addition to General I.A. Susloparov, none of the state officials of the USSR was present in Reims. It turns out that before Soviet Union capitulation did not happen, and this was when the USSR suffered the most from the Nazi invasion and made the greatest contribution to the cause of victory. Bad consequences can be expected from such a "surrender".

“The treaty signed by the allies in Reims,” Stalin continued, “cannot be canceled, but it cannot be recognized either. Surrender must be carried out as the most important historical fact and adopted not on the territory of the victors, but where the fascist aggression came from: in Berlin, and not unilaterally, but necessarily by the supreme command of all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.

Let it be signed by one of the leaders of the former fascist state or a whole group of Nazis responsible for all their atrocities against humanity.”

Having finished speaking, Stalin turned to the Chief of the General Staff A.I. Antonov and asked if Zhukov could find a suitable room for the solemn signing of the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany in Berlin.

Well, then there was great date ninth of May!

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