Surrender of Germany in the Italian Front

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Date: Saturday, 12 May 1945
Place: Bolzano, South Tyrol, Northern Italy
Photographer: T. S. Ryan

Gero von Schulze-Gaevernitz (2nd from left) visited German headquarters in Bolzano on May 12, 1945, to express his thanks for the German officers' cooperation during the surrender of the southern front. Enjoying a relaxed moment in the courtyard of SS headquarters are, left to right: General der Panzertruppe Hans Röttiger (Chef des Generalstabes Heeresgruppe C), Gero von Schulze-Gaevernitz (German emigrant and assistant of Allen Dulles in Europe), Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff-Scheel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe C), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Karl Wolff (Höchster SS und Polizeiführer "Italien"). In the background: SS-Sturmbannführer Eugen Wenner (Adjutant Höchster SS und Polizeiführer Karl Wolff ) and SS-Standartenführer Dr. Eugen Dollmann (Verbindungsmann Höchster SS und Polizeiführer "Italien" beim Oberbefehlshaber Süd). Schulze-Gaevernitz was awarded the U.S. Medal of Freedom in 1945 for his skillful negotiations in Ascona, Switzerland, for the surrender of a million Nazi forces in World War II, with specific reference to Italy (Operation Sunrise). Photograph by T. S. Ryan.

Source :
NARA RG 226, Entry 110, Box 1, OSS photo
http://ritterkreuztraeger.blogspot.com/2021/06/heinrich-von-vietinghoff-after.html

The Surrender of SS General Jürgen Wagner

Image size: 1600 x 1033 pixel. 466 KB
Date: Sunday, 6 May 1945
Place: Tangermünde, Germany
Photographer: William Vandivert of LIFE Magazine

SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Jürgen Wagner, who was Commander of 23. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nederland" (niederlandische Nr. 1), surrenders to personnel of the US Army 405th Infantry-Regiment / 102nd Infantry Division at the River Elbe near Tangermünde Germany, 6 May 1945. The object hanging from Wagner's coat is a Flashlight, while the US Lieutenant-Colonel is Leroy E. Frazier from the Ozarks. Wagner was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in July 1943 and Eichenlaub in December 1944. After his surrender he was later extradited to Yugoslavia for war crimes and executed in 1947. At the time of Wagner's surrender, his wife Martha and ten year old daughter Irene were living in Quedlinburg/Harz, then controlled by American troops. SS General Wagner mistakenly believed his captivity would be relatively short-lived and that he would soon be reunited with his family; a US Ninth Army Interrogation Center report dated 13th June 1945 stated, "PW is of the opinion that German generals and General Staff officers, including SS generals, will soon be released by the Allies, in the same manner as other PWs." Whilst Wagner was negotiating the surrender of his shattered command on the western side of the bridge at Tangermünde, his family were a mere two hours travel away. It is currently unknown if he ever saw his family again. In the photos we see one of Wagner's two trips to negotiate the surrender of the remainder of his command. A couple of days previously, On 25-26 april 1945, Nederland Division were engaged in defensive fights in the area Prieros-Selchow. Then they went with the remnants of 9. Armee in the "Kessel" of Halbe. Heavy lost : reduced to 300 into a Kampfgruppe "Wagner". On 29 april a small group with Divisionskommandeur could escape Halbe area and join 12. Armee at Beelitz. On 5 May they reached Tangenmünde were they surrended to US troops on 6-7 May 1945.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=218216506764616&id=103603561559245&__cft__[0]=AZVKswM3kYPy8BnEH5SelCAX5T3PnJAGercohv3wstNAHE03jKO11DMywuxwfP8LLJeWA0cThJIlwe_HS9EieZQss5oAIuyzCCxKTgNOQqzWRdA3GomfvZvZ8A8d776AtGL4hLqva3ZIeomjFIF_L_S2&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=216061
https://www.gunboards.com/threads/j%EF%BF%BDrgen-wagner-surrender-1945.929065/?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=9a1bb3c47a6d16a5d7d8f18ef687e9634d98dccb-1618238715-0-Af3gpXo8qiV-I6by4FXF6Ocmb9xytxX7ljxGW2moCb4w4x7JKVqJRh4PBzsX0iHFwsu-awfHbH_xnWdhE-i2hkAkzovufXy7U-25Hw1MbhAtKJCow8OF_zM4G6meD9NprHdywV-Uq_6a16qPLjIPH3G4OFbeY821Af2mY9s9Lf2ImtEG-A8VYnsXrp-9T0zNWpqOAXrXuxg3Zkxfl-qBH6tTZbAwlEbAwcTef6vU6-6a1TfpEnZvl7WeME-70v-OI__pMZZF4OXx5x-kHEDecPhbySxA_2JV-NZnwx1i7Xde60yQFq8B-AzsKVRD43vgHZC6Ok7m0DoU285ndYJaqZzwR7iTJHokw2F5TQVllzpa6jslEdqcWHZH9sWzp0bg-DbPeYJmvtdu_h8PfLlYYvSKPfTdzTx1AtpNIA_4igPBB7D8UvfDxg_tOGVgrLAxBhoICza8j5HRc99fK0L-qi2vIDmElnQe8WZTFevyAupCtu8_0XTeFJoS7vFid4-MHNvvHBPxjC8DucuAnrxByrq7zXy8sZtUtTyllJ1rUzePjHwKLxhuIUpFDm1HPltp_NhoEXZbMSxazyIqR3HTwvudkr9eDivxeYc0ofxQ8ElXS6FApRQNdRg1v6k6r9cqJZAHh5_07emW53N3DKcHLOuT5Ni41Ij62SC7qWFQLH6LzlZ8bUVYk0wrVSqZq5g60lCdZ4A6Q07hLUYMQn-bRal4FzQCN7NClBFmSntgZor4
https://historyofthewaffenss.com/community/ss-general-jurgen-wagner-life-career-and-war-crimes-trial/on-jurgen-wagners-surrender-and-his-family/

The First Arrival of German Delegation to Montgomery's Headquarter

Image size: 1600 x 1598 pixel. 527 KB
Date: Thursday, 3 May 1945
Place: Lüneburger Heide, Hamburg, Germany
Photographer: Captain E.G. Malindine

The first arrival of the German delegation to the headquarters of the British 21st Army Group in the Lüneburger Heide (Luneburg Heath), east of Hamburg, to discuss a ceasefire on May 3, 1945. The Germans offer to surrender the Heeresgruppe Vistula - who was surrounded by Soviet troops - to the Allies, was rejected by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (Commander of the 21st Army Group), because he wanted the unconditional surrender of German troops in the north-west Germany, as well as in the Netherlands and Denmark. The German delegation replied that they were not given the power to determine this, and had to negotiate it first with their leader, Großadmiral Karl Dönitz (the successor to Hitler who committed suicide a few days earlier). Finally Montgomery allowed them to return home, and gave 24 hours for the answers to be given. This photo was taken by Captain E.G. Malindine (British No. 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit) and shows Marshal Montgomery standing second from the left, while the German delegation starts with their leader Generaladmiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) who holding the document in the middle, followed to the right as follow: General der Infanterie Eberhard Kinzel (Chef des Generalstabes Operationsstab Nord), Konteradmiral Gerhard Wagner (Admiral z.b.V. Beim Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine), and Major i.G. Hans Jochen Friedel (half visible, Stabsoffizier Operationsstab Nord).

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/01/killed-in-action-pictures-koleksi-foto_12.html
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timeloberg_%E2%80%93_030545.jpg

The Capitulation of Greek Forces to SS Leibstandarte

Image size: 1600 x 1114 pixel. 180 KB
Date: Sunday, 20 April 1941
Place: Katara Pass, Northern Greece
Photographer: Unknown

SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandeur Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler) negotiated the capitulation of Greek Armed Forces along with the Greek military representatives sent by Lieutenant-General Georgios Tsolakoglu (Commander Army of Epirus). The handsome officer at left is SS-Hauptsturmführer Max Wünsche (Adjutant Kommandeur Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler). This photo was taken at Katara mountain range, Greece, on April 20, 1941. Representatives from the Greek side are, from nearest to the camera: Lieutenant-Colonel Georgios Lagas, Colonel Nikolaos Balis, Major Vlachos, and an unidentified Lieutenant. In the account of that day from Rudolf Lehmann’s 'The Leibstandarte' Volume 1, the II.Bataillon / Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (motorisiert) led by SS-Hauptsturmführer Erwin Horstmann were surmounting the Katara mountain range on their way to Joanina. Before the summit, SS-Untersturmführer Jupp Diefenthal came careering down in a motorcycle combination with a Greek soldier in the side car who was holding a white flag of surrender. Relaying to Horstmann that he had been approached by the Greeks who were anxious to discuss surrender terms, Dietrich was immediately wired to come up himself to conduct the discussions. SS-Untersturmführer Ralf Tiemann was also dispatched back down to Hani-Murgani to escort Dietrich up accompanied by SS-Hauptsturmführer Max Wünsche. They arrived to see the soldiers from both sides standing casually about playing cards etc and a giant swastika hung from the road. Dietrich went to talk to the ‘parlementaires’ who were no doubt Greek Officers and they told him he would need to travel 15km west to Vontonosi where the HQ of General Tsolakoglou’s was situated. Tiemann than states the Wünsche was dispatched to inform Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm List in person of the developments while Dietrich and a small entourage drove on to the HQ. Tiemann states that he took over Wünsche’s duties in his absence and further relates that they arrived to be greeted personally by Tsolakoglou outside his HQ.

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=229924&hilit=ralf+tiemann

The Surrender of the Dutch Forces to the Japanese at Kalidjati

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Date: Sunday, 8 March 1942
Place: Kalidjati Airfield, Subang, West Java, Netherlands East-Indies
Photographer: Unknown

The surrender of the Netherlands East-Indies to the Japanese at Kalidjati military airport, Subang, West Java, on 8 march 1942 The Governor General of the Netherlands East-Indies had ordered to avoid armed conflict in the city of Bandung, crowded as it was with refugees. With the invading Japanese forces already in Lembang and Buitenzorg, a few miles away,  the commanding officers had no choice but to surrender. The negotiations took place on March 8, 1942 at Kalidjati airfield. Thoughtful as always the Japanese had lined the road to Kalidjati with hundreds of corpses of those killed in the defence of this airfield! Lieutenant General Hein Ter Poorten surrendered unconditionally to General Hitoshi Imamura and after a few more days all fighting in Java ceased. But in other places the fight went on longer. Sumatra KNIL forces capitulated on March 29 and the Australians and Dutch on Timor continued a guerrilla war for several months.

Source :

https://thejavagoldblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/the-loss-of-java-and-the-surrender/

Dutch Soldier Negotiating the Capitulation in 1940

Image size: 1600 x 1064 pixel. 429 KB
Date: Tuesday, 14 May 1940
Place: Willemstad, North Brabant, Netherlands
Photographer: Unknown

A Dutch officer equipped with the M.27 helmet negotiating the capitulation with a German officer in Willemstad on 14 May 1940. After the devastating bombing of Rotterdam by the Luftwaffe on that fateful day, the Germans threatened to bomb other Dutch cities if the Dutch forces refused to surrender. The General Staff knew it could not stop the bombers and ordered the Dutch army to cease hostilities. At 1900 hrs all hostilities were ceased, except in the province Zeeland. The battle of Holland had ended.

Source :
"The Dutch Steel Helmet 1916-1946" by Kevin de Joode
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Netherlands
http://www.waroverholland.nl/index.php?page=part-iii-capitulation

Food Negotiations Between German and the Canadians

Image size: 1600 x 1205 pixel. 403 KB
Date: Monday, 30 April 1945
Place: Achterveld, Netherlands
Photographer: Ernest DeGuire

Food negotiations begin. German and Canadian negotiators arrive at a schoolhouse, where they secretly discuss supplying food to the starving Dutch people still in German-held areas. While 2nd Corps of the 1st Canadian Army was crossing the Rhine River in late March 1945, 1st Corps was on a massive redeployment from the Italian front — through the Mediterranean and up through the south of France — to join the 1st Canadian Army advance into Germany and The Netherlands. Moving into northern Netherlands the Canadians effectively cut off the 117,000 German troops in western Holland, leaving them with no means of escape. The Germans were defeated and the exhausted Canadian soldiers could see the end. Nobody wanted to be the last man killed in this war in the cold bleak months of early 1945. But the occupying Germans were still fighting, and the occupied Dutch were still suffering serious privation under them. The oppressors had flooded the farmlands of western Netherlands and blockaded food and supplies to civilians. The abject neglect of the Dutch by the occupying Germans caused the death of at least 18,000 civilians in the terrible famine known as the Hunger Winter. The picture was taken by Ernest DeGuire on 30 April 1945 at Achterveld, Netherlands.

Source :
http://www.mapleleafup.ca/ve1.html