SURRENDER RATIFIED

Southland Times, Issue 25669, 11 May 1945, Page 5

SURRENDER RATIFIED

ACT SIGNED BY GERMANS HISTORIC CEREMONY (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. It was a clear sunny day over the Templehof aerodrome which was lined by Russian fighters when three Douglasses carrying the delegation from the Supreme Command of the Allied Expeditionary Forces alighted in the field at 1.58 p.m. local time for ratification of the surrender documents, reports Moscow radio. Representatives of the Russian Command, General Sokolovsky and Colonel-General Berzarin, Commandant of Berlin, greeted Air Chief Marshal Tedder, Lieutenant-General Carl Spaatz, Admiral Sir Harold Burrough and other western delegates. Air Chief Marshal Tedder and other senior officers inspected the guard of honour drawn up at 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 Lieutenant-General de Lattre di Tassigny, arrived last.

Marshal Zhukov received Air Chief Marshal Tedder with whom he had a personal talk. The historic signing of the unconditional surrender took place

in the former Berlin military technical college, the hall of which was decorated with British, American, Russian and French flags. When the clock struck midnight Marshal Zhukov and Air Chief Marshal Tedder entered, followed by other members of the delegations. Air Chief Marshal Tedder, Marshal Zhukov, Lieutenant-General Spaatz, Major Vishinsky, Admiral Burrough and Lieutenant-General de Tassigny sat down under flags representative of the Allied countries. The Red Army generals commanding the forces which captured Berlin took up their positions at the central table. Newspaper correspondents were also present. Marshal Zhukov said: “We are gathered here, I as deputy Supreme Commander of the Red Army, Air Chief Marshal Tedder as deputy Supreme Commander of the A.E.F. and also Lieutenant-General Spaatz and Lieu-tenant-General de Tassigny, to accept the terms of unconditional surrender from the Command of the German Armed Forces. I suggest we should start with the work and summon the representatives of the German Command.” GERMANS SUMMONED Marshal Zhukov then gave the order to summon the representatives of the German High Command. Field-Marshal Keitel, Admiral Friedeburg and Colonel-General 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 be 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 Chief Marshal Tedder put the same questions to the Germans and there was a few seconds’ silence. FORMALITIES COMPLETED “Yes, I agree,” Field Marshal Keitel answered in a low voice, handing to Marshal Zhukov the document from the High Command signed by Admiral Doenitz authorizing Field-Marshal Keitel, Admiral Friedeburg and ColonelGeneral Stumpf to sign an act of unconditional surrender. All the necessary formalities completed, Marshal Zhukov suggested that the German representatives come up to the table to sign the act. One after another the Germans signed while cameras clicked.' At 45 minutes after midnight the act was signed and Marshal Zhukov announced: “The German delegation may retire.” Moscow radio added that when Air Chief Marshal Tedder visited Marshal Zhukov he presented him with a white silk banner embroidered with emblems of the Allied forces. Moscow radio throughout the night was in a jubilant mood, repeating every hour the announcement of unconditional surrender and playing rousing patriotic music. The scene in the room where the Germans signed the unconditional surrender is described by a Berlin correspondent who says that, once the Germans had gone, several hundred people in the room had their faces wreathed in smiles. Air Chief Marshal Tedder and Marshal Zhukov did a regular pumphandle handshake and there were handshakings and congratulations all An hour or so later the room had a festive air. Russian girl waitresses laid the table for a typical Russian banquet. The toasts went on till after 4 a.m. Marshal Zhukov paid a handsome tribute to General Eisenhower. “A magnificent general, one of the most talented this war has produced,” he said. Air Chief Marshal Tedder recalled the toast he proposed in Moscow last January: “To our meeting in the ruins of Berlin.”