On May 8th, 1945, a momentous event marked the official end of World War II in Europe. In the conquered German capital of Berlin, a sombre ceremony witnessed the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. General Wilhelm Keitel, the head of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces, signed the German Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the defeated nation. Representatives from the Allied powers – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union – accepted the surrender, bringing a brutal conflict that had ravaged Europe for six long years to a close. This surrender marked a turning point in history, paving the way for a new era of peace and reconstruction on the continent.
