Cassino to the Alps - US Army Center Of Military History

GENERAL MORGAN RECEIVES GERMAN REPRESENTATIVES
no absolute assurance t.o that effect.
The mild caveat failed to deter Morgan,
who replied that he was prepared to
accept the signature under that condition.
In reality, Schweinitz's declaration
was no more than an empty gesture,
for the Germans in Italy had no alternative
to surrender.
Shortly after 1400, 29 April, Schweinitz
and Wenner signed the document,
which sti pulated that the capitulation
was to be unconditional and that hostilities
were to cease, beginning at noon,
GMT, on Wednesday, 2 May 1945.
The Germans thus had four days to get
CASSINO TO THE ALPS
word of the capitulation to their
troops. 22
Became of difficulties in radio communications
and the need for security,
the text of the surrender document had
to go to von Vietinghoff as soon as
possible. Immediately following the surrender
ceremony, the German emissaries,
accompanied by von Gaevernitz
and an American staff officer, headed
to Switzerland. The emissaries went on
to Bolzano. They got there late in the
" See Carland and Sm.-th. S;rilr tllII/liI,' S" .... nld,'!"
of Ila/l'. pp. 43:;-:;:;2.