Did it really end

The document that officially ended World War II in Germany was the German Instrument of Surrender, a formal act of unconditional surrender by the German High Command to the Allies, first signed in Reims, France, on May 7, 1945, and then reaffirmed in Berlin on May 8, 1945, which became Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) (https://www.facebook.com/usarmyreserve/posts/%EF%B8%8F-today-we-remember-ve-dayvictory-in-europe-dayon-may-8-1945-the-allies-accepted/1241080737683990/). While this ended the fighting, the Berlin Declaration of June 1945 formalized the Allied assumption of supreme authority over Germany, and the later Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (the "Two-Plus-Four Treaty") in 1990 truly settled German sovereignty, but the military surrender document marked the end of the war in Europe. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]  

Key Documents & Events: 

• May 7, 1945 (Reims): German Chief of Staff Alfred Jodl signed the initial Instrument of Surrender, effective May 8th at 23:01 CET. 

• May 8, 1945 (Berlin): The Soviets demanded a second signing, with Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signing the definitive surrender at the Soviet headquarters in Karlshorst, solidifying the end of the war in Europe. 

• June 5, 1945 (Berlin Declaration): The four main Allied powers (US, UK, USSR, France) assumed joint supreme authority over Germany, taking the first steps towards administration. 

• September 12, 1990 (Two Plus Four Treaty): This final peace treaty settled the external aspects of German reunification, restoring full sovereignty to a united Germany, say historians (https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/surrender-of-germany). [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]  

So, while the Instrument of Surrender ended the fighting, the Berlin Declaration and the Two Plus Four Treaty addressed the post-war legal and political status of Germany, say military historians (https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/wwii/wwii-europe/german-surrender/signing-instrument.html) and archivists. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]  

Would you like to know more about the specific terms of the Instrument of Surrender or the political significance of the Berlin Declaration? 

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.facebook.com/usarmyreserve/posts/%EF%B8%8F-today-we-remember-ve-dayvictory-in-europe-dayon-may-8-1945-the-allies-accepted/1241080737683990/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Declaration_(1945)

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrender

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe

[5] https://1989.rrchnm.org/items/show/290.html

[6] https://www.facebook.com/USArmyChiefofStaff/posts/otd-in-1945-victory-over-nazi-germany-became-official-after-years-of-hard-fighti/2057284647927447/

[7] https://www.facebook.com/groups/2077090212683898/posts/2434469180279331/

[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Final_Settlement_with_Respect_to_Germany

Henry McClure  
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