2-611-925 - Keystone Archives/Heritage Images

Unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, Berlin, World War II, 8 May 1945. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel (1882-1946), Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces signing on behalf of the army. A surrender had been signed the previous day in Rheims, but the Soviet representative at the signing, Major-General Ivan Susloparov, did not have official authorisation from Moscow to sign the document and the Soviets insisted on a second signing, which took place in Berlin shortly before midnight on 8 May.