| Original caption: “Lieutenant General Charles Foulkes (left center), General Officer Commanding, First Canadian Corps, accepts the surrender of German forces in The Netherlands from General Johannes Blaskowitz.” Canadian Royal Army Lieutenant General Charles Foulkes (January 3, 1903 – September 12, 1969) meets with Nazi German officers, including Johannes A. Blaskowitz (July 10, 1883 – February 5, 1948), Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest (“Commander-in-Chief Northwest”) to sign the surrender of Heeresgruppe H. The evening of May 4, 1945, Foulkes learned through 1st Canadian Army headquarters that United Kingdom Royal Army Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery (November 17, 1887 – March 24, 1976) was negotiating with the German High Command the surrender of all forces in Holland, northwest Germany, and Denmark. In Germany, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had been readying attacks on Aurich and Jever unless the garrison commanders surrendered on the morning of May 4. Henry D. G. Crerar (April 28, 1888 – April 1, 1965) immediately ordered the attacks cancelled and sent instructions to his Corps and Divisional Commanders to cease offensive action until further notice. On receiving a copy of the surrender agreement Montgomery was presenting in his negotiations, Foulkes sent instructions for Generalleutnant Paul Reichelt (March 29, 1898 – July 15, 1981) to meet him in Wageningen at 1100 hours to receive the Allied terms. Foulkes dictated the terms and ordered him to return with Blaskowitz to sign the surrender on May 5. At about 2000 hours on the evening of May 4, the BBC reported that the Germans had signed the surrender agreement and hostilities would cease at 0800 hours the following morning. Along the Grebbe Line, it was obvious the Germans had been monitoring the British radio, for immediately they fired off “all the Very pistols they owned, along with jubilant bursts of tracer [ammunition]. Much singing and Schnapps-happy parties developed whilst our [forward] troops tried to cope with the hordes of the vanquished who came over to be made prisoners. Much explaining had to be done that such conduct ‘was not on,’ as the war did not end until 0800 Hours the following morning.” At 1100 hours on May 5, Germans, Canadians, and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (June 29, 1911 – December 1, 2004), who had switched allegiances from the Schutzstaffel SS to the Allies when Holland was invaded in May 1940, gathered in the Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen. The entire town had suffered in the recent fighting. Trestle tables had been set up in the dining room with kitchen chairs arrayed around them. “The wallpaper was torn, and through the glassless windows and the cracks in the walls the wind blew freely. But the sun was shining.” For the 1st time, the media attended, and the “remainder of the room was crowded with chairs for press photographers, movie cam-era-men, war correspondents and a variety of official on-lookers.” The tables were brilliantly illuminated by floodlights. Blaskowitz struck the I Corps intelligence officer as looking “very tired and disconsolate” when he and Reichelt took their places behind the table. Foulkes sat opposite with Canadian Royal Army Major General George Kitching (September 9, 1910 − June 15, 1999) and Prince Bernhard on either side. A large number of staff officers and interpreters hovered close by and at times took places at the table to clarify 1 or another detail of the surrender document’s hundreds of paragraphs. Foulkes read each condition, Blaskowitz signifying approval with either a nod or the single word, “understood.” Rarely did he question a clause, and even more seldom would Foulkes write altered wording next to a condition and initial the change. 1 such occurrence regarded a clause requiring the Germans to safeguard United Nations (UN)personnel. What was the UN, Blaskowitz asked, and how were such people to be recognized? Foulkes eliminated the clause. “Looking old and grey,” Blaskowitz “never smiled.” The general terms were that the Germans would retain command of their troops and be responsible for their maintenance. All units were to remain where they were. German police would come under military command, and all personnel guarding concentration camps and other detention centres were to be arrested. Demolitions were to be immediately removed from dykes, and obstacles were to be cleared to allow barge traffic to use the canals to assist with feeding the Dutch. When the agreement was signed at 1604 hours, Reichelt was asked to produce the dispositions and strength of Nazi German forces in western Holland. He said that including all army, navy, and air force personnel they numbered a 120,000. Throughout the day, Reichelt had exuded a “dignified gloom.” But as the meeting broke up, 1 Canadian officer mentioned that the air force had been chasing Reichelt’s headquarters for some time. “He burst into a wide grin and replied, ‘I know, you got me out of bed twice!’” As the Nazi German officers returned to their car, they each “gave a stiff periscope Nazi salute” before driving off. The German vehicles no sooner left than they “became hopelessly entangled with a food convoy winding through the village.” Captain Alexander M. Stirton (September 1, 1914 – October 10, 1996) was a Public Relations Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and for National Emergency Planning Organization. He covered North Africa, Sicily, the Battle of Ortona, the Gustav Line, and Northwest Europe. He served in the Royal Canadian Army for 28 years. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0880.jpg |
| Image Size | 240.23 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1913 x 1767 |
| Photographer | Alexander M. Stirton |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | May 5, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Wageningen |
| State or Province | Gelderland |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Archive | Library and Archives of Canada |
| Record Number | 3518991 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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