German Instrument of Surrender

E1492

The German Instrument of Surrender was the formal document signed in May 1945 that marked Nazi Germany’s unconditional capitulation to the Allied powers, effectively ending World War II in Europe.


Statements (56)
Predicate Object
instanceOf World War II document
international agreement
surrender instrument
alsoKnownAs Act of Military Surrender
German Act of Surrender
Instrument of Unconditional Surrender of the German Armed Forces
archivedAt National Archives and Records Administration
Russian State Military Archive
cameIntoForce 1945-05-08
1945-05-09
containsClause cessation of all active operations by German forces
compliance with all further orders issued by the Allied representatives
disarmament and handing over of weapons and equipment
prohibition of destruction of ships, aircraft, military equipment and records
unconditional surrender of all German forces on land, at sea and in the air
countrySurrendering Nazi Germany
dateSigned 1945-05-07
1945-05-08
followedBy Allied occupation of Germany
division of Germany into occupation zones
historicalSignificance formalized the defeat of Nazi Germany
marked the collapse of the Third Reich
language English
German
Russian
legalEffect end of major combat operations in Europe in World War II
unconditional surrender of all German armed forces
locationBerlinSigning Soviet Military Headquarters in Karlshorst
locationReimsSigning Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
placeSigned Berlin
Reims
precededBy German surrender in Italy
German surrender in Northwest Europe
receivingParty Allied powers
France
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
United States
relatedEvent Victory in Europe Day
end of World War II in Europe
scope all German land, sea and air forces
all theaters of war where German forces were engaged
signedBy Alfred Jodl
Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
Wilhelm Keitel
signedByForAllies Arthur Tedder
Carl Spaatz
Georgy Zhukov
Ivan Susloparov
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Walter Bedell Smith
surrenderingParty German High Command
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
timeZoneReference Central European Time
Moscow Time

Referenced by (24)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
German Instrument of Surrender ("Act of Military Surrender")
German Instrument of Surrender ("German Act of Surrender")
German Instrument of Surrender ("Instrument of Unconditional Surrender of the German Armed Forces")
alsoKnownAs
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht ("signing of the German Instrument of Surrender 1945")
Western Front (World War II) ("Surrender of German forces in the West")
notableEvent
Alfred Jodl ("German Instrument of Surrender of 1945")
Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
signatoryTo
Arthur Tedder ("German Instrument of Surrender (1945)")
Ivan Susloparov
signed
German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst ("German Instrument of Surrender signing on 8–9 May 1945")
Soviet Military Headquarters in Karlshorst ("German Instrument of Surrender of 8 May 1945")
significantEvent
Axis powers
European Theater of Operations
surrenderEvent
Liberation of western Czechoslovakia ("German Instrument of Surrender on 1945-05-08")
before
European theatre of World War II
endEvent
Lycée Roosevelt surrender signing site ("German Instrument of Surrender (Reims)")
event
Battle of Berlin
followedBy
Victory in Europe Day
followsEvent
Hans-Jürgen Stumpff ("Signing of the German Instrument of Surrender 1945")
notableWork
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
participantIn
German Instrument of Surrender ("German surrender in Italy")
precededBy
Berlin Declaration of 5 June 1945
relatedTo
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
signatory
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force ("German Instrument of Surrender (Western Front)")
signedAtItsHeadquarters

Please wait…