World War II Documents: Germany Surrenders

Every year, the West celebrates Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day or VE Day), commemorated on May 8, 1945 as the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not until May 9, 1945. 10 days earlier, Hitler committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin, and so the surrender of Germany was authorized by his replacement, President of Germany Karl Dönitz. The administration headed by Dönitz was known as the Flensburg government. The act of military surrender was signed on 7 May in Reims, France, and ratified on 8 May in Berlin, Germany.

This collection of historic World War II documents includes all of the surrender documents signed on behalf of the Germans in late April and May 1945, ending the war in Europe and setting off wild celebrations across the globe. This edition of these historic World War II documents is specially formatted with a Table of Contents and is illustrated with pictures of the war’s important leaders.