‘Nazi surrender’ agreement selling for $3.5 million

Nazi General Alfred Jodl was immediately told by the Allied representatives that nothing less than an unconditional surrender would be accepted.

By World Israel News Staff

The fifth draft of the surrender agreement signed by the Germans that ended WWII and the Holocaust is on sale for $3.5 million, reports The Daily Mail.

According to the report, Gary Zimmet is selling the document on his website Momentsintime.com.

Five drafts of the surrender agreement were signed on May 7, 1945, in Reims, France by General Alfred Jodl, on behalf of the German High Command; General Walter Bedell Smith, on behalf of the United States; General Ivan Susloparov, on behalf of the Soviet High Command; and by French Major-General François Sevez, who served as the official witness.

Jodl was under the impression that he was coming to negotiate the terms of surrender, but was immediately told that nothing less than an unconditional surrender would be accepted. The German general relayed the information via radio to Karl Donitz, the admiral who had taken over as leader of Nazi Germany after Hitler committed suicide. Donitz ordered him to sign the document immediately.

Four of the drafts are stored in the respective national archives of the signatory countries. The fifth draft was kept by U.S General Dwight D. Eisenhower and bought by Zimmet from the estate of a staff member who received it from Eisenhower.

“The document that ended the Second World War is not only the ultimate war-related collectible, but it’s also among the most important documents ever to be offered for sale,”  Zimet told the British news outlet.

“This is the definition of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This surrender document demonstrates that evil lost and humanity won,” he added.

Jodl was a part of the assassination attempt on Hitler in July 1944.  He was found guilty for crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials and was hung on October 16, 1946.

In 1953, a German denazification court posthumously found him not guilty of his crimes.

This is the full text of the surrender agreement:

Act of Military Surrender

1. We the undersigned, acting by authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Supreme High Command of the Red Army all forces on land, at sea, and in the air who are at this date under German control.

2. The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23.01 hours Central European time on 08 May, to remain in all positions occupied at that time and to disarm completely, handing over their weapons and equipment to the local Allied commanders or officers designated by Representatives of the Allied Supreme Commands. No ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment, and also to machines of all kinds, armament, apparatus, and all the technical means of prosecution of war in general.

3. The German High Command will at once issue to the appropriate commanders, and ensure the carrying out of any further orders issued by the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and by the Supreme Command of the Red Army.

4. This act of military surrender is without prejudice to, and will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender imposed by, or on behalf of the United Nations and applicable to GERMANY and the German armed forces as a whole.’

[2] ‘5. In the event of the German High Command or any of the forces under their control failing to act in accordance with this Act of Surrender, the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force and the Supreme High Command of the Red Army will take such punitive or other action as they deem appropriate.

Signed at Rheims, France at 0241 on the 7th day of May 1945.

On behalf of the German High Command.

‘Jodl’ [signed by Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl]

IN THE PRESENCE OF

On behalf of the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force.

‘W. B Smith’ [signed by Lieutenant general Walter Bedell Smith]

On behalf of the Soviet High Command.

‘Susloparov’ [signed by Maj. Gen. Ivan Susloparov]

‘F Sevez’ [signed by Maj. Gen. Francois Sevez]