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German 25th Army Instrument of Surrender (4 May 1945)

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Instrument for the surrender of the 25th German Army (1945)
authority of the 25th German Army and First Canadian Corps

The Instrument for the surrender of the 25th German Army was the legal instrument by which the German Command of the 25th German Army surrendered simultaneously to the First Canadian Corps at the end of World War II in Europe. After this partial body of the German military surrendered, there came the surrender of total the German military 8 of May.

This is the Instrument of Surrender of the 25th German Army, which was signed on 4 May, 1945, at Luneburg.

1747501Instrument for the surrender of the 25th German Army1945authority of the 25th German Army and First Canadian Corps

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Instrument of Surrender
of
All German armed forces in HOLLAND, in 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 FRISIAN ISLANDS and HELIGOLAND and all other islands, in SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, and in DENMARK, to the C.-in-C. 21 Army Group.
    This to include all naval ships in these areas.
    These forces to lay down their arms and to surrender unconditionally.
  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 accepted laws and usages of war.
  5. This instrument of surrender is independent of, without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the Allied Powers and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.
  6. This instrument 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 arises as to the meaning or interpretation of the surrender terms.


B. L. Montgomery
Field-Marshal

4 May 1945
1830 hrs.

Hans Georg von Friedberg
Kinzel
G. Wagner
Poleck
Friedel





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