The German surrender on Lüneburg Heath and the capture of Berchtesgaden 4th May 1945

On 4th May 1945, a German delegation arrived at the headquarters of British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery at Lüneburg Heath, east of Hamburg. The delegation included Generaladmiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, General Eberhard Kinzel, and Konteradmiral Gerhard Wagner. Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of all the German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany, and Denmark, effective from 8.00am on the following morning.

Field Marshal Montgomery greets the German delegation at Lüneburg Heath. (The German delegartio are (from left to right) Admiral von Friedeburg, General Kinzel, and Konteradmiral Wagner.

The Instrument of Surrender stated:

1. 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.
2. These forces to lay down their arms and to surrender unconditionally. 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.
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 This instrument of surrender is independent of, without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the Allied Powers and applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.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.

The signing of the Instrument of Surrender.

On the same day, the 7th Inantry Regiment of 3rd Infantry Division of Seventh United States Army captured Berchtesgaden in Bavaria.

Two American soldiers (one of whom seems to be a member of 101st US Airborne Division) celebrating the capture of Berchtesgaden. Although it is a popular belief that the town and the surrounding area (including the Obersalzberg) was captured by the 101st US Airborne Division, they actually arrived after the 3rd Infantry Division had already done the job.