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German surrender at Lüneburg Heath

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and Heligoland and all other islands in Schleswig-Holstein and in Denmark. Secondly, when you have done that, I am prepared to discuss with you the implications of your surrender: how we will dispose of those surrendered troops, how we will occupy the surrendered territory, how we will deal with the civilians, and so forth. And my third point: If you do not agree to Point 1, the surrender, then I will go on with the war and I will be delighted to do so." Monty added, as an after-thought, "All your soldiers and civilians may be killed."
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which was being cut off to the east by the Red Army and demanded the unconditional surrender of all forces on his northern and western flanks. The Germans stated that they did not have the authority to accept Montgomery's terms. However they agreed to return to their headquarters to obtain permission
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The German Command agrees to the surrender of all German armed forces in HOLLAND, in northwest GERMANY including the FRISIAN ISLANDS and HELIGOLAND and all other islands. In SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN and in DENMARK, to the C-in-C. 21 Army Group. This is to include all naval ships in the areas. These forces
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After lunch, Field Marshal Montgomery called the Germans back for further consultation, and there he delivered his ultimatum ... He told the Germans: "You must understand three things: Firstly, you must surrender to me unconditionally all the German forces in Holland, Friesen and the Frisian Islands
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on 29 April. Dönitz was aware of the allied occupation zones intended for Germany from a plan that had fallen into German hands. He therefore hoped that protracted partial and local surrender negotiations might buy time for troops and refugees in the east to seek refuge from the
641:. Today the spot lies in an out-of-bounds military area and is not accessible to the public. In 1995 another monument was erected on the edge of the Timeloberg, outside the restricted area. The last survivor of the negotiations was one of Montgomery's interpreters 461:(the German armed forces high command). Von Friedeburg was ushered into Montgomery's command caravan for confirmation that they were ready to sign. For the surrender ceremony Montgomery sat at the head of a table with an army blanket draped over it and two 633:. Both Admiral von Friedeburg and General Kinzel committed suicide in the weeks following the surrender; von Friedeburg on 23 May 1945, and Kinzel on 25 June 1945. After the war a monument was erected by the British on what they now called 522:
This instrument of surrender is independent of, without prejudice 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
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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 accepted laws and usages of
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can be seen – one of the reasons why the Allies had chosen the Timeloberg hill as a place of surrender: the surrender should be signed with a view of a defeated German city.
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microphones in front of him; he called on each delegate in turn to sign the instrument of surrender document at 18.30. The surrender ceremony was filmed by the British
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All hostilities on land, on sea, or in the air by German forces in the above areas to cease at 0800hrs. British Double Summer Time on Saturday 5 May 1945.
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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.
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Field Marshal Montgomery (seated second from the right) signs the terms of the surrender watched by Rear Admiral Wagner and Admiral von Friedeburg.
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HERE – AT 18.30 HOURS on the 4th of May 1945 A Delegation from the German High Command Surrendered Unconditionally to Field Marshal Montgomery
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Lüneburg had been captured by the British forces on 18 April 1945 with Montgomery establishing his headquarters at a villa in the village of
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The decision of the Allied Powers will be final if any doubt or dispute arises as to the meaning or interpretation of the surrender terms.
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Instrument of Surrender of all German armed forces in Holland, in northwest Germany including all islands, and in Denmark
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in France and signed again on 8 May with the Supreme High Command of the Red Army, French and US representatives in
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This instrument of surrender is written in English and in German. English version is the authentic text.
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and recorded for broadcast on radio by the BBC with a commentary by the Australian war correspondent
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The Road to Dunkirk: The British Expeditionary Force and the Battle of the Ypres-Comines Canal, 1940
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in Europe and was signed in a carpeted tent at Montgomery's headquarters on the Timeloberg hill at
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The German officers returned the next day at 18:00 with an additional delegate, (Colonel
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Surrender of German armed forces in Belgium, Denmark, and northwest Germany on 4 May 1945
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and Supreme Commander of the German armed forces by Adolf Hitler in his
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and all naval ships in those areas. The surrender preceded the end of
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Dönitz did not think it appropriate to negotiate personally with a
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preparatory to the ending of World War II in Europe on 7 May at
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Major Hans Jochen Friedel – staff officer to General Kinzel (
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as he had become the head of state following the death of
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to lay down their arms and to surrender unconditionally.
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Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery – as commander of the
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On the horizon, the church towers of 963: 676: 492:described the surrender negotiations: 823: 717: 703:Surrender delegation at specialcamp11 976:Aftermath of World War II in Germany 905: 740: 708: 313:"German surrender at Lüneburg Heath" 302:adding citations to reliable sources 273: 953:Derek Knee Daily Telegraph Obituary 13: 932:"Veteran remembers 'war of words'" 910:. London: Frontline. p. 181. 748:Australian Dictionary of Biography 571:– as chief of staff of Army Group 20:Instrument of Surrender of Germany 14: 1002: 639:Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 278: 184: 170: 149: 137: 125: 113: 101: 88: 924: 289:needs additional citations for 899: 873: 843: 817: 792: 753:Australian National University 734: 696: 665:German Instrument of Surrender 623:German Instrument of Surrender 534: 1: 718:Grube, Michael (4 May 2005). 670: 660:End of World War II in Europe 705:. 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Index


Capitulation
Lüneburg Heath
United Kingdom
Bernard Montgomery
Nazi Germany
Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
Nazi Germany
Eberhard Kinzel
Nazi Germany
Gerhard Wagner
Nazi Germany
Fritz Poleck
Nazi Germany
United Kingdom
Germany

Field Marshal Montgomery
Admiral von Friedeburg
General Kinzel
Rear Admiral Wagner
British Double Summer Time
Lüneburg Heath
Hamburg
Field Marshal
Sir Bernard Montgomery
unconditional surrender
Netherlands
Denmark
World War II

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