Caserta surrender
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ALLIED FORCE HEADQUARTERS Supreme Allied Commander's Secretariat
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RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING HELD WITH THE GERMAN PLENIPOTENTIARIES AT 1800 HOURS ON SATURDAY 28 APRIL 1945
PRESENT :
Lieutenant General W. D. Morgan, Lieutenant Colonel von Schweinitz, Chief of Staff to German Commander-in-Chief, Southwest Supreme Allied Commander
Major General Lyman L. Lewnitzer, Major Wenner, representing Deputy Chief of Staff to S.S. General Karl Wolff Supreme Allied Commander
Rear Admiral H. A. Packer, Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Major General T. S. Airay, Assistant Chief of Staff G-2, AFHQ
Brigadier General C. F. Cabell, Director of Operations and Intelligence, HQ MAAF
INTERPRETER
Mr. von Guvernitz, C. S. S.
SECRETARIES
Colonel J. E. Bastion, Jr. Lt. Col. J. G. Sweetman
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MORGAN said that he was Chief of Statt to Field Marshal Alexander, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theatre. with him were the Chiefs of the Naval and Air Staffs and other high ranking officers on the Field Marshal's staff. They had full powers to act on behalf of the Field Marshal. He understood that the two German officers, whom he believed were name Lt. Col. von Schweinitz and Major Wenner, representing, respectively, General von Vietinghoff, Commander-in-Chief Southwest, and S. S. General Wolff. He asked if this was correct.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL VON SCHWEINITZ replied that was correct.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MORDAN asked if the officers had full powers to act on behalf of these commanders.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL VON SCHWEINITZ said he was acting on behalf and with the authority of Colonel General Von Vietinghoff, Commander of Army 'C' and Commander-in-Chief, Southwest, and Commander of the Wehrmacht in ITALY. He had authority within the orders he had got. It was possible, however, that proposi- tions might be made to him which would be outside his orders and would therefore have to be refereed to his commander.
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LIEUTENANT GNERAL MORGAN again asked Lt. Col. von Schweinitz if he had full powers.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL VON SCHWEINITZ replied that within his orders he had full powers. He then produced his credentials which were dated April 22nd 1945 and as translated read:-
"Lieutenant Colonel in the General Staff von Schweinitz has been authorised by me to conduct negotiations within the frame of the instructions given by me and to make binding commitments on my behalf." (sgd) V. Vietinghoff
MAJOR WENNER then produced his credentials. They were dated April 25th 1945 and as translated read:
"I hereby authorise my Chief Adjutant S.S. Major Wenner to nego- tiate on my behalf and to make binding commitments on my behalf."
(sgd) Wolff
Major Wenner further explained that General Graziani had given full powers to General Wolff, who in turn had passed them on to him.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MORGAN said he was now going to hand over three copies of the Instrument of Surrender and its appendices. He asked the German officers to examine these documents. A further meeting would be held that night at 2100 hours and at this meeting he would expect to be told whether the terms were ac- cepted or not. Any questions regarding the terms of the document could be asked then. (He then handed over two copies in german and one in English.) He asked the officers to withdraw to their camp where they could study the documents in peace and, he hoped, in comfort. If they had any maeterial wants they had only to ask the liasion officers who were attached to them by the Field Marshal's orders.
J. G. SWEETMAN,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL,
SECRETARY.
DISTRIBUTION COPY NO.
Annexed to signed copies of Instrument 1-3 Supreme Allied Commander 4 Deputy Supreme Allied Commander 5 Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean 6 Air Commander-in-Chief, MAAF 7 Commander, United States Naval Forces North- west African Waters 8 Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief, MAAF 9 Chief of Staff 10 SACS (Spares) 11-12
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APPENDIX 'A'
ORDERS FOR GERMAN LAND FORCES
1. The term "German Land Forces" wherever used in these orders shall be deemed to include all German and Italian Republican military or para military for- ces or organisations, under the command or control of the German Commander- in-Chief Southwest, who is hereafter referred to as "the German Authority".
2. The Term "Supreme Allied Commander" will be deemed to include all subordi- nate Allied Commanders.
3. The German Authority will send to HQ 15 Army Group, as soon as possible after the signing of the instrument of surrender, senio representatives with full executive powers to carry out the following orders and such fur- ther orders as the Commander General, 15 Army Group, may issue for compli- ance by the German Land Forces.
"STAY-PUT" ORDER
4. All formations, units and sub-units of the German Land Forces, whereever they may be, will remain in their present positions and in their existing formations pending further orders from the Supreme Allied Commander. Only such local movement is permitted as is essential for the transmission of orders, the supply of food, water, forage and petrol and the treatment of sick and wunded. (See also paragraph 7.)
5. In particular, all large scale road and rail movement between ITALY and any point outside ITALY is absolutely prohibited. Any movement east of the ISONZO River will be liable to air attack without warning.
DISARMAMENT OF GERMAN LAND FORCES
6. All German Land Forces will be completely disarmed. They will hand over their arms, ammunition, equipment and all war-like stores at places and times and in a manner to be further ordered by the Commanding General, 15 Army Group or any of his subordinate Commanders.
MAINTENANCE OF GERMAN LAND FORCES
7. The German Authority will, pending further orders from the Supreme Allied Commander, maintain its own forces from its own resources. Purchase or requisition from local sources is forbidden.
STATUS OF SURRENDERED PERSONNEL
8. All personnel of the German Armed Forces shall be subject to such conditions and directions as may be prescribed by the Supreme Allied Commander. At the Supreme Allied Commander's discretion, some or all of such personnel may be declared to be prisoners of war.
PROHIBITION OF DESCTRUCTION AND DAMAGE
9. The German Authority will prevent the removal, destruction of or damage to, and will safeguard in good condition at the disposal of the Supreme Allied commander:
a. All arms, ammunition, explosives and war-like stores, equipment, vehicles, material of all kinds, fuel and oil stocks, and any items of supply used by or for members of the German lan forces.
b. All military installations and establishments, including permanent and temporary land fortifications, fortresses and fortified areas together with all plans and drawings of the same.
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c. All transportation and communications facilities and equipment, including all ports and port facilities and equipment, roads, rail- ways, waterways, bridges, tunnels and telecommunications systems.
d. All civil and industrial factories, installations and plant, work- shops, laboratories, experimental stations, stores, equipment, supplies, raw materials and finished products, buildings and civil property.
e. All cryptographic methods and equipment, cyphers, codes and call- sign systems, whether military, diplomatic or civilian.
f. All military, para military and civil documents, records and archives.
PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND FACILITIES
10. The German Authority will forthwith furnish to the Supreme Allied Commander:
a. Complete information regarding the German Land Forces and in par- ticular such details as the Supreme Allied Commander may require concerning the numbers, locations, dispositions, stores and equip- ment of the German Land Forces wherever located.
b. Complete information concerning mines, minefields and other obstacles to movement and the safety lanes in connection therewith.
c. Such military, para military and civil documents, records and archives as the Supreme Allied Commander may require.
11. The German Authority will:
a. Maintain in operation all public utility and essential civilian services.
b. Clearly mark and maintain safety lanes through all minefields and other obstacles to movement.
c. Remove or render safe all demolition charges and all booby-traps.
d. Make available for the Supreme Allied Commander such military per- sonnel with the necessary equipment, as he may require, for the clearance of mines, minefields and other obstacles to movement; and such labour as he may require for any purpose.
DISPOSAL OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND OF PERSONS IN CUSTODY
12. The German Authority will release in accordance with the instructions of the Supreme Allied Commander all prisoners of war (naval, military or air) at present in their power and will furnish forthwith complete lists of these persons with the places of their detention. Ponding release of such prisoners of war, the German Authority will continue to protect them in their persons and property, and accord them such treatment and facilities as are prescribed under the Geneva Convention.
13. The provisions of paragraph 12 preceding will be applied by the German Authority equally to all other persons who are confined, interned or other- wise under restraint for political reasons or as the result of any action, law or regulation originating from discrimination on grounds of nationali- ty, race, colour, creed or political belief. Such persons as are not en- titled to treatment in accordance with the Geneva Convention will be afforded comparable rights and amenities in accordance with their rank or official positions.
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14. Without prejudice to any other provisions in these orders, the German Authority will hand over to the Supreme Allied Commander the control of all places of detention.
RADIO AND TELE-COMMUNICATIONS
15. The use of military and civil radio and land line communication systems is permitted with the provises that :
a. All messages and signals will be made in clear.
b. All forms of scrambling and secrecy equipment will be disconnected and safoguarded intact.
MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE
16. The German Authority will remain responsible for the maintenance of disci- pline throughout the German Land Forces as defined in paragraph 1 above.*
TREATMENT OF ALLIED LIASON OFFICERS AND ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES IN GERMAN-OCCUPIED ITALY
17. Italian Government forces in Northern ITALY comprise all partisan forma- tions and organisations owing allegiance to the CLNAI, which is the re- cognised delegate in German-occupied ITALY of the Italian Government. Immediate contrl of these groups is exercised through Allied and Co- belligerent officers operating in conjunction with these forces in the field. Such officers are being instructed immediately to get in tough with local German commanders.
18. The German Commander-in-Chief Southwest and all German subordinate com- manders will receive and afford all facilities to these Allied or Co- belligerent officers together with representatives of the CLNAI for the purpose of establishing and maintaining pending arrival of Allied forces, liaison with the following objects:
a. The general maintenance of law and order.
b. The maintenance of all essential civilian services.
c. The provision of communications and transport which may be necessary for the adequate distribution of supplies and the continuance of local administration.
19. For the execution of the above functions all Allied Liaison officers will be considered as the representatives of the Supreme Allied Commander. They will be afforded complete freedom of communication by any means.
* Until such time as this responsibility is taken over by Allied troops,
e.g., until German troops become prisoners of war, German commissioned officers and military police (Felder gendarmaric and Geheim feld polizei) will retain their hand weapons.
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ALLIED FORCE HEADQUARTERS Supreme Allied Commander's Secretariat
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RECORD OF THE SECOND MEETING NEED WITH THE GERMAN PLENIPOTENTIARIES AT 2100 HOURS ON SATURDAY 28 APRIL 1945
PRESENT :
Lieutenant General W. D. Morgan, Lieutenant Colonel von Schweinitz Chief of Staff to representing Supreme Allied Commander German Commander-in-Chief, Southwest
Lieutenant General Sir Brian H. Robertson, Major Werner, representing Chief Administrative Officer, AFHQ S.S. General Wolff
Major General Lyman L. Lewnitzer, Deputy Chief of Staff Supreme Allied Commander
Rear Admiral H. A. Packer, Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Major General T. S. Airey, Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, AFHQ