2-611-922 - Keystone Archives/Heritage Images

Unconditional surrender of the German armed forces, Rheims, France, World War II, 7 May 1945. Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel (1882-1946), Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces and representative of the army, and Colonel-General Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, the representative of the air force. 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 the following day.