German Surrender

---northwest Germany including all islands, and in DENMARK.

1. The German Command agrees to the surrender of all armed.

forces in HOLLAND, in northwest GERMANY including the.

FRISLIAN ISLANDS and HELIGOLAND and all islands, in.

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, and in DENMARK, to the C.-in-C. 21.

=This to include all naval ships in these areas=.

These forces to lay down their arms and to surrender.

2. All hostilities on land, on sea, or in the air by German.

forces in the above areas to cease at 0800 hrs. British.

Double Summer Time on Saturday 5 May 1945.

3. The German command to carry out at once, and without.

argument or comment, all further orders that will be issued.

by the Allied Powers on any subject.

4. Disobedience of orders, or failure to comply with them, will.

be regarded as a breach of these surrender terms and will be.

dealt with by the Allied Powers in accordance with the laws.

5. This insturment of surrender is independent of, without pre-.

judice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument.

of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the Allied Powers.

and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a.

6. This instument of surrender is written in English and in German.

The English version is the authentic text.

7. The decision of the Allied Powers will be final if any doubt.

or dispute arise as to the meaning or intrepretation of the.

=HANS GEORG von FRIEDBERG=.

=Field - Marshal= =POLECK=.

{Reichspresident Donitz's authorization to Colonel General Jodl}.

{to conclude a general surrender:}.

Hauptquartier, den 6. Mai 1945.

Ich bevollmachtige Generaloberst J o d l ,.

Chef des Wehrmachtfuhrungsstabes in Oberkommando.

der Wehrmact, zum Abschluss eines Waffenstill-.

standsbkommens mit dem Hauptquartier des Generals.

Only this text in English is authoritative.

ACT OF MILITARY SURRENDER.

1. We the undersigned, acting by authority.

of the German High Command, hereby surrender.

unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied.

Expeditionary Forces and simultaneously to the.

Soviet High Command all forces on land, sea and in.

the air who are at this date under German control.

2. The German High Command will at once.

issue orders to all German military, naval and.

air authorties and to all forces under German.

control to cease active operations at =2301= hours.

Central European time on = 8 May = and to.

remain in the positions occupied at that time. No.

ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any.

damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment.

3. The German High Command will at once.

issue to the appropriate commander, and ensure.

the carrying out of any further orders issued by.

the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force.

and by the Soviet High Command.

4. This act of military surrender is without.

prejudice to, and will be superseded by any.

general instrument of surrender imposed by, or.

on behalf of the United Nations and applicable.

to GERMANY and the German armed forces as a whole.

5. In the event of the German High Command.

or any of the forces under their control failing.

to act in accordance with this Act of Surrender,.

the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force.

and the Soviet High Command will take such punitive.

or other action as they deem appropriate.

Signed at =RHEIMS at 0241= on the =7th= day of May, 1945.

On behalf of the German High Command.

On behalf of the Supreme Commander, On behalf of the Soviet.

Allied Expeditionary Force. High Command.

=W. B. SMITH= =SOUSLOPAROV=.

Major General, French Army.

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

ORDERS BY THE SUPREME COMMANDER,.

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE RELATING TO.

ARMY AND AIR FORCES UNDER GERMAN CONTROL.

1. Local commanders of the Army and Air Force.

under German control on the Western Front, in.

NORWAY and in the CHANNEL ISLANDS will hold themselves.

in readiness to receive detailed orders for the.

surrender of their forces from the Supreme Commander's.

subordinate commanders opposite their front.

2. In the case of NORWAY the Supreme.

Commander's representatives will be the General.

Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command and.

Air Officer Commanding 13 Group RAF.

3. In the case of the CHANNEL ISLANDS the.

Supreme Commander's representatives will be the.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern.

Command and Air Officer Commanding 10 Group RAF.

For the Supreme Commander, RAF.

Dated =0241 7th= May, 1945.

SPECIAL ORDERS BY THE SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED.

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE TO THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND.

RELATING TO NAVAL FORCES.

For the purpose of these orders the term "Allied.

Representatives" shall be deemed to include the.

Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force,.

and any subordinate commander, staff officer or.

agent acting pursuant to his orders.

SPECIAL ORDERS BY THE SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED.

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE TO THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND.

RELATING TO NAVAL FORCES.

Definition of Naval Forces.

1. For the purpose of these orders all formations,.

units, and personnel of the German Navy together with the.

Marine Kusten Polizie shall be refered to as the German.

2. Members of the Marine Kusten Polizie will.

immediately be placed under the command of the appropriate.

German Naval Commanders who will be responsible for their.

maintenance and supply where applicable, to the same.

extent and degree as for units of the German Navy.

German Naval Representatives and information required.

3. The German High Command will dispatch within.

48 hours after the surrender becomes effective, a res-.

ponsible Flag Officer to the Allied Naval Commander,.

Expeditionary Force at his headquarters. This.

Flag Officer will furnish the Allied Naval Commander,.

Expeditionary Force, with:-.

a. Corrected copies of charts showing all.

minefields in Western Europe waters, including the.

BALTIC as far as LUBECK (inclusive) which have been laid.

by German and German-controlled vessels or aircraft,.

positions of all wrecks, booms and other underwater.

obstructions in this area, details of the German convoy.

routes and searched channels and of all bouys, lights.

and other navigational aids in this area. The appropriate.

navigational publications are also required.

b. Details of the exact location of all.

departments and branches of the German Admiralty (OKM)

c. All available information concerning.

the numbers and types of German minesweepers and sperr-.

brechers in German controlled Dutch ports and German.

NORTH SEA ports that can be obtained without delaying.

his departure. This German Flag Officer is to be.

accompanied by a Communications Officer who is familiar.

with the German Naval W/T organization and who is to.

bring with him the current naval communications Orders,.

including allocation of frequencies, list of W/T and.

R/T call signs in force, and a list of all codes and.

cyphers in use, and intended to be brought into use.

d. Location of all surface warships down.

to and including "Elbing" class Torpedo Boats, and of.

all submarines and "E" Boats.

4. The German High Command will also dispatch.

within 48 hours after the surrender becomes effective.

a responsibile officer, not below the rank of Captain,.

by coastal craft to report to the Admiral Commanding.

at DOVER for onward routing to Commander-in-Chief,.

a. Corrected copies of charts showing all.

minefields in the NORTH SEA SOUTH of 54 30' NORTH and.

EAST of 1 30' EAST laid by German and German-controlled.

vessels or aircraft, positions of all wrecks, booms and.

all other underwater obstructions; details of all.

German Convoy routes and searched channels in this area,.

and of all bouys, lights and other navigational aids.

which are under German control. Appropriate naviga-.

tional publications are also required.

b. All available information concerning.

the numbers and types of German minesweepers and.

sperrbrechers in German contolled Dutch ports and.

German NORTH SEA ports that can be obtained without.

delaying his departure.

5. Another responsible German Naval Officer,.

with similar information is to be dispatched by un-.

escorted aircraft painted white to MANSTON Areodrome.

position 51 20' NORTH, 1 20' EAST for onward routing.

to Commander-in-Chief, THE NORE.

6. The German High Command will issue instruc-.

tions to certain German naval commands as indicated.

a. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, NORTH.

SEA will dispatch by coastal craft within 48 hours.

after the surrender becomes effective a responsible.

officer, not below the rank of Captain, to the.

Admiral Commanding at DOVER for onward routing to.

Commander-in-Chief, THE NORE, with:-.

(1) details of minesweeping operations.

carried out in the German convoy route.

between the HOOK OF HOLLAND and.

HAMBURG and in approaches to harbours.

between these two ports during the.

(2) numbers and postions of all.

British mines swept during these.

(3) details of all controlled mine-.

fields in this area and information.

whether they have been rendered.

(4) details of all other mining and.

types of mines employed in the harbours.

and harbour approaches of CUXHAVEN,.

EMDEN, TERSCHELLING, TEXEL, IJMUIDEN,.

AMSTERDAM, SCHEVENINGEN, HOOK OF.

HOLLAND and ROTTERDAM;

(5) berthing facilities in the harbours.

enumerated in paragraph (6a). (4) above.

and the numbers of auxiliary minesweepers.

which can be accomodated;

(6) a list of all W/T and R/T call signs.

Any of the above information which cannot be obtained without.

delaying the departure of this officer will be forwarded.

subsequently as soon as it is available.

b. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, NORTH SEA, will.

also dispatch as soon as possible by coastal craft to DOVER.

thirteen German Naval Officers who must be familiar with the.

German swept channels between the HOOK OF HOLLAND and.

CUXHAVEN. These officers will bring with them all the charts.

and books required for naviagation in this area and will be.

accompanied by pilots (and interpreters if necessary)

c. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, NORWAY, will.

dispatch by sea within 48 hours after the surrender becomes.

effective, a responsible officer, not below the rank of.

Captain to the Commander-in-Chief, ROSYTH, with corrected copies.

of charts showing all German minefields in the NORTH SEA, NORTH.

of 56 NORTH, all wrecks, booms and other underwater.

obstructions, details of German convoy routes and searched.

channels in this area, of the approach channels to the principal.

Norwegian ports and of all bouys, lights and other navigational.

aids in this area. This officer will also bring with him the.

disposition of all "U" Boats and details of all orders affecting.

their future movements. He will be accompanied by six German.

Naval Officers with pilots (and interpreters if necessary) who.

are familiar with the coastal swept channels between OSLO and.

TROMSO. These officers will bring with them all the charts.

and books required for navigation in Norwegian waters, and a.

list of all W/T and R/T call signs in use by the German Navy.

d. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, NORWAY, will.

dispatch a duplicate party to the above with similar informa-.

tion by an unescorted aircraft painted white to DREM Airfield.

56 02' NORTH 02 48' WEST.

e. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, NORWAY, will.

report by W/T to the Commander-in-Chief, ROSYTH, within 48 hours.

after the surrender becomes effective, the following information:-.

(1) Berthing facilities at OSLO,.

CHRISTIANSAND, STAVANGER, BERGEN, TRONDHEIM,.

(2) The appropriate quantities of furnace.

oil fuel, diesel oil fuel, and coal at all the.

principal Norwegian ports between OSLO and.

7. The German Admiral SKGGERAK will dispatch by sea.

within 48 hours after the surrender becomes effective, a.

responsible officer not below the rank of Captain, to the.

Commander-in-Chief, ROSYTH, with corrected copies of charts.

showing all German minefields, wrecks, booms, and other underwater.

obstructions, details of German convoy routes and searched.

channels, bouys, lights and other navigational aids in the.

SKAGGERAK, KATTEGAT, THE BEITS AND SOUND, KIEL.

BAY and BALTIC WATERS WEST of 14 EAST. This.

officer will also bring with him the disposition.

of all "U" boats in the above area and details.

of all orders affecting their future move-.

ments. He will be accompanied by three German Naval.

officers with pilots (and interpreters if necessary)

who are familiar with the coastal swept channels, and.

channels in the Swedish territorial waters, in the waters.

referred to above. These officers will bring with.

them all the charts and books required for navigation.

in these waters, and a list of all W/T and R/T call.

The German Admiral SKAGGERAK will dispatch.

a duplicate party to that specified above, with similar.

information, by air in unescorted aircraft painted.

white to DREM Airfield 56 02' NORTH 02 48' WEST.

8. The German Naval Officers who will be dis-.

patched to DOVER and ROSYTH by sea will proceed to.

positions in latitude 51 19' NORTH longitude 1 43' EAST.

and latitude 56 47' NORTH longitude 1 13' WEST respectively,.

where they will be met by British warships and escorted.

to their destination. The ships or craft in which they.