FINAL SURRENDER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 136, 10 May 1945, Page 5

FINAL SURRENDER

RATIFICATION IN BERLIN. GERMANS SIGN SOLEMNLY. (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, May 9. It was a clear sunny day over the Templehof aerodrome, which was lined with Russian fighters, when three Douglas transport, carrying the delegation of the Supreme Command of tie Allied Ex- ' peditionary Forces, alighted on the held at 1.58 p.m. local time for the ratification of the surrender documents, reports the Moscow radio.

liepresentatives of the ltussian Command, Genera] Sokolovsky and ColonelGeneral Berzarin. commandant of Berlin, greeted Air Chief Marshal Tedder, General Spaatz, Admiral Burrough and other western delegates. Air Marshal Tedder and other senior officers inspected the guard of honour, drawn up on the aerodrome while a band played the British, American and Russian anthems. A fourth Douglas carrying representatives of the routed German army landed shortly afterwards and the French delegation headed by General de Tassigny arrived last. Marshal Zhukov received Air Marshal Tedder, with whom he had a personal talk. The historic signing of the document [ of unconditional surrender took place | in the former Berlin Military Techm- i ,cal College, the hall of which was decorated with British. American, Russian and Erench flags ~ . , When the Clock struck midnight Marshal Zhukov and Air Marshal Tedder entered, followed by other members of the delegations. Air Marshal Tedder Marshal Zhukov. General Spaatz, General Vishinsky, Admiral Burrough and ' General fie Tassigny sat down under the flags of the representative Allied countries and the Red Army Generals commanding the forces which captured Berlin took up positions at the central table. Newspaper correspondents were also present. Marshal Zhukov said: "We are gathered here. I as the deputy of the Supreme Commander of the Red Army and Air Force, Marshal Tedder as the deputy of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, also Generals Spaatz and de Tassigny. to accept unconditional surrender from the Command of the German armed forces. I suggest that we should start with "the work and summon the representatives of the German Command. Marshal Zhukov gave the order to summon the representatives of the German High Command, and Field-; Marshal Keitel and Generals iriedebercr and Stumpf, accompanied by an aide-de-camp, took their seats in absolute silence. • .Marshal Zhukov said: "Gentlemen, the act of unconditional' surrender is about to ho signed. I turn to the representatives of the German High Command with the questions: Have they got the Act at hand? Have they made themselves familiar with it? Do the representatives of the German High Command agree to sign the Act?" Air Marshal Tedder put the same questions to the Germans and there, were a few seconds of silence. "Yes, I agree," Field-Marshal Keitel answered in a low voice, handing to Marshal Zhukov a document from the High Command signed by Admiral Doenitz authorising Keitel, Friedeberg and Stumpf to sign the Act of unconditional surrender. <UI the necessary formalities completed Marshal Zhukov suggested that the German representatives come up to the table and sign the Act one after another. The Germans signed while cameras clicked ~~ , * n \t 45 minutes after midnight the Act was signed and Marshal Zhukov announced: "The German delegation may retire." . ~,,.,, , The Moscow radio added that when Air Marshal Tedder visited Marshal Zhukov he presented him with a white silk tanner embroidered with the emblems' of the Allied forces.