I remember sitting in a Champ on the Luneburg Heath in the early 60's and passing a white obelisk which was standing on higher ground to our left. I was told it was sited where Montgomery took the German surrender.

A while later somebody said that the monument was being demolished because it was bad for the morale of the German people.

Trying to find out more info on the subject recently, what little I could find said that the monument came down in '57.

This being so, could anyone tell me what it was that I saw ?

brum

Brum

Cann't help with what you saw but I can confirm your comment that the original stone was moved in 1957. It was moved to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and rebuilt on the edge of the New College Parade Square where it remains to this day. (tap in Luneburg Stone RMA Sandhurst on your search engine and it should lead to a photo gallery containing shots of the stone and inscription).

Incidentally, also relevent to this site, is the 30 Corps Wild Boar at rest which was originally constructed as a commemorative marker outside the Corps HQ in Eustrup but was moved to fulfill a similar function outside the main Academy Headquarters.

I thought the surrender took place in a railway carriage?

Jim

With respect you have got the wrong war

The Germans signed the formal surrender documents in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compeigne in November 1918. Hitler reprised the ceremony in 1940 by having the same carriage repositioned over the exact spot and having the French representatives sign similar documents in his presence following the Fall of France.

The surrender of the German Forces in May 1945 was a more austere ceremony and took place in a tent adjacent to FM Montgomery's field headquarters "somewhere on the Luneburger Heide". The actual location was later marked by the memorial stone referred to by Brum.

Ah yes, slip of memory JPW.

Age catching up with you Jim????

The surrender you refer to was of German Forces in NW Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark on 4 May 1945. Admiral von Friedeburg and Gen Heinz Kunzel signing for the Enemy and FM Montgomery for the Allies.

There were surrender events at Berlin and in Italy on May 2, Bavaria on May 4, Breslau on May 6, Channel Isles May 8.

The Unconditional Surrenders of Germany took place at Rheims France to SHAEF featuring Doenitz to Bedell Smith and Sousloparov on 7 May and in Berlin on 8 May 1945. Zhukov Tedder, Lattre-Tassigny and Spaatzl signing for the Allies and Keitel, von Friedeburg and Stumpff signing for the Germans.

If a small monument on Luneberg Heath was bad for German morale, what about the big
Russian one near the Reichstag Building in Berlin then?