Who signed the surrender from the German side. Why was the act of surrender of Germany signed twice

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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.

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.

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 the Soviet army.

How did the German capitulation take place?

The signing of the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945 was preceded by the Berlin operation. For 23 days, the soldiers tried to get to the center of Berlin in order to completely eliminate the German army. During the operation, the Red Army managed to destroy the largest grouping of enemy troops in the history of wars.

The width of the front of hostilities was 300 kilometers, the depth was more than 200. Once a day, the military personnel moved inland for a distance of 10 km. The advance of Soviet troops to the center of Germany was complicated by the fact that on the way to Berlin there were many reinforced concrete bunkers with hundreds of Nazi soldiers inside.

The main goal of the Red Army was the elimination of the Reichstag. During the performance of their duty, not a few Soviet soldiers died. However, the army managed to reach the end and capture the main enemy building, despite significant losses and difficult conditions for the fight.

Signing of the Act of Surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945

On the eve of the signing of the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany, Soviet troops closed the ring around Berlin. The leadership of the Third Reich had to think about how to save the state, but the Nazis were not ready for the final surrender. On May 7, 1945, the German generals decided to capitulate to the Anglo-American troops, but continue the war with the USSR.

The Soviet Union demanded unconditional surrender from Germany. Otherwise, the soldiers were not going to retreat. The previous Act of Surrender was signed in France. The Soviet army demanded the signing of the Act of Surrender in the capital of the Third Reich.

A ceremony was organized in the building of the Berlin Military Engineering School under the chairmanship of Marshal Zhukov. Representatives of Germany and the USSR gathered in the then suburb of Beerlin Karlshorst. May 8, 1945 was the day of the final surrender of Nazi Germany.

In the USSR, they learned about this event only the next day. That is why Victory Day is celebrated in the countries of the former Soviet Union on May 9th.

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Exactly 70 years ago, on May 8, 1945, on the outskirts of Berlin, Karlshorst, at 22:43 CET (May 9 at 00:43 Moscow time), the final act of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed.

A selection of photographs dedicated to this significant event.

1. The building of the German military engineering school in the suburbs of Berlin - Karlshorst, where the signing ceremony of the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany was held.

2. Representatives of Germany at the table during the signing of the Act of unconditional surrender. Seated in the photo from left to right: Colonel General Stumpf from the Air Force, Field Marshal Keitel from the Army and General Admiral von Friedeburg from the Navy. 05/08/1945

3. American General Dwight Eisenhower and British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder at a press conference after the signing of the surrender of Germany in Reims (France) on May 7, 1945.

4. Representatives of the Allied Command after the signing of the surrender of Germany in Reims (Wrance) on May 7, 1945.
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 of the Allied Forces in Europe, British Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan Morgan, 1894-1967), American Lieutenant General Bedell Smith, American radio commentator Harry Butcher, American General Dwight Eisenhower, British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder and Chief of Staff of the British Navy Admiral Sir Harold Burro.

5. Colonel-General Alfred Jodl (center) signs the German surrender at the Allied Headquarters in Reims at 02.41 local time on 7 May 1945. Sitting next to Jodl are Grand Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg (right) and Jodl's adjutant Major Wilhelm Oxenius.

The leadership of the USSR was dissatisfied with the signing of the surrender of Germany in Reims, which was not agreed with the USSR and relegated the country that made the greatest contribution to the Victory to the background. At the suggestion of the Soviet government and personally I.V. Stalin and the Allies agreed to consider the procedure in Reims a preliminary surrender. The Allies also agreed that the matter should not be postponed, and appointed the signing of the German Surrender Act in full form in Berlin for May 8, 1945.

6. The signing of the surrender of Germany in Reims on May 7, 1945. In the photo, from right to left: adjutant A. Jodl, Major Wilhelm Oxenius, Colonel General Alfred Jodl and Grand Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg; from left to right: Chief of Staff of the Allied Forces in Europe, British Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan, French General Francois Seve, Chief of Staff of the British Navy, Admiral Sir Harold Burro, radio commentator Harry Butcher, American Lieutenant General Bedell Smith, adjutant I.A. Susloparov Senior Lieutenant Ivan Chernyaev, Chief of the USSR military mission in France, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov (1897-1974), American General Carl Spaatz, cameraman Henry Bull, Colonel Ivan Zenkovich.

7. Colonel-General Alfred Jodl (center) signs the surrender of Germany at the headquarters of the allied forces in Reims at 02.41 local time on May 7, 1945.

8. Representatives of the German command come to the table to sign the surrender in Reims on May 7, 1945. In the photo from left to right: Adjutant A. Jodl, Major Wilhelm Oxenius, Colonel General Alfred Jodl and Grand Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg.

9. 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 Eisenhower 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.

10. The Chief of Staff of the Allies in Europe, the American Lieutenant General Bedell Smith, signs the act of surrender of Germany in Reims on May 7, 1945. In the photo on the left is Admiral Sir Harold Burro, Chief of Staff of the British Navy, on the right is Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov (1897-1974), head of the USSR military mission in France.

11. The head of the USSR military mission in France, Major General Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov (1897-1974), signs the act of surrender of Germany in Reims on May 7, 1945. In the photo on the far right is American General Carl Spaatz. To the left of I.A. Susloparov - his adjutant senior lieutenant Ivan Chernyaev.

12. Wehrmacht Artillery General Helmut Weidling leaves the bunker during the surrender of the Berlin garrison. May 2, 1945

13. Representative of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army, Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, who signed the Instrument of Surrender from the USSR. In the background is a Soviet cameraman filming the signing ceremony. Berlin. 09/08/1945

17. Representatives after the signing of the Act of unconditional surrender in Berlin-Karlshorst on May 8, 1945. The German act was signed by General Field Marshal Keitel (in front to the right, with a marshal's baton) from the ground forces, General Admiral von Friedeburg (to the right behind Keitel) from the navy and Colonel General Stumpf (to the left of Keitel) from the military -but-air force.

18. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, signing the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany from the German side, is served the text of the Act. To the left, second from the viewer, G.K. is sitting at the table. Zhukov, who signed the Act on behalf of the USSR. Berlin. 05/08/1945

19. Chief of the General Staff of the German Ground Forces, General of the Infantry Krebs (left), who arrived on May 1 at the location of the Soviet troops in order to draw the High Command into the negotiation process. On the same day, the general shot himself. Berlin. May 1, 1945

20. The Soviet delegation before the signing of the Act of unconditional surrender of all German armed forces. Berlin. 05/08/1945 Standing on the right - the representative of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army, the commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, standing in the center with his hand raised - Deputy Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, General of the Army V.D. Sokolovsky.

21. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, who is signing the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender from the German side, is presented with the text of the Act. G.K. is sitting at the table on the left. Zhukov, who signed the Act on behalf of the USSR. Berlin. 05/08/1945

22. Representatives of the German command, headed by Field Marshal Keitel, are sent to sign the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender. May 8, Berlin, Karlhorst.

23. Chief of the General Staff of the German Ground Forces Lieutenant General of the Infantry Hans Krebs at the headquarters of the Soviet troops in Berlin. On May 1, Krebs arrived at the location of the Soviet troops in order to draw the High Command into the negotiation process. On the same day, the general shot himself.

24. Surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia. German and Soviet officers are discussing the terms of surrender and the procedure for surrendering German troops. 05/09/1945

25. Surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia. German and soviet officers discuss the terms of surrender and the procedure for the surrender of German troops. 05/09/1945

26. Surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia. German officers accept from the Soviet officer the terms of surrender and the procedure for surrender. 05/09/1945

27. Surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia. German officers accept from the Soviet officer the terms of surrender and the procedure for surrender. 05/09/1945

28. Surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia. German and Soviet officers are discussing the terms of surrender and the procedure for surrendering German troops. 05/09/1945

29. The surrender of the Germans on the spit Frisch-Nerung, East Prussia.

30. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signs the act of unconditional surrender of Germany. Berlin, May 8, 1945, 22:43 CET (May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time).

31. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel goes to the signing of the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany. Berlin. 05/08/1945

32. Arrival in Berlin for the ceremony of signing the Act of Surrender of Germany of the Air Chief MarshalGreat Britain Tedder A.V. Among those meeting: General of the Army Sokolovsky V.D. and commandant of BerlinColonel General Berzarin N.E. 05/08/1945

33. Arrival in Berlin, Field Marshal W. Keitel, Admiral of the Fleet H. Friedeburg and Colonel General of Aviation G. Stumpf to sign the Act of unconditional surrender of Germany. Among the escorts is General of the Army Sokolovsky V.D. and Colonel General Berzarin N.E. 05/08/1945

34. First Deputy People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR Vyshinsky A.Ya. andMarshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov G.K. heading to the signing ceremonyThe act of unconditional surrender of Germany. Karlshorst. 05/08/1945

35. Air Chief Marshal of Great Britain Sir Tedder A. and Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov G.K. looking through the documents on the terms of the surrender of Germany.

36. Signing Field Marshal Keitel W. Act of unconditional surrender of all armed forces in Germany. Berlin. Karlshorst. 05/08/1945

37. Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov G.K.signs the Act of unconditional surrender of all German armed forces.

38. Dinner in honor of the Victory after the signing of the terms of the unconditional surrender of Germany. From left to right: Chief Air Marshal of Great Britain Sir Tedder A., Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov G.K. Commander of the US Strategic Air Force General Spaats K. Berlin. 08-09.05.1945

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The photo selection is made on the basis of materials:

Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents.

All photos are clickable.

Photo albums "Great Patriotic War"

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

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 the last months of 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 the Operational Staff of the German High Command; 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 Headquarters of the Supreme High Command at Allied Command 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 language 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, by the Soviet Government on August 21, 1944, and by 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 declared 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 unilaterally, but necessarily by the supreme command of all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. Following this statement, the Allies agreed to hold a second signing ceremony for 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 Kyiv time), representatives of the Soviet Supreme High Command, as well as the allied high command, entered the hall decorated with the state flags of the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain and France. The hall was attended by 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, 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 of 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".

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 Stalin personally, 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 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. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in commemoration of the victorious completion of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders, May 9 was declared Victory Day.

On May 7, fascist Germany made a last attempt to save itself from complete defeat by concluding a separate peace with the allies of the USSR, but they failed.

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 the 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 with 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 big number Germans 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 the present 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, the Supreme Commander of 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 short message for publication 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 head operational management of the General Staff of the 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 to draw up a draft directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command 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 Chief 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-in-Chief, as usual, walked slowly along 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 is 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 suitable premises for the solemn signing of the Act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany in Berlin.

Well, then there was the great date of the ninth of May!