HISTORIC MOMENTS: Daily Mail Headline May 2, 1945: "Hitler Dead"

The most dramatic news of the war

'HITLER DEAD - DOENITZ
APPOINTED FUHRER'

Admiral tells Germans: "The fight goes on." Himmler ignored

Daily Mail, Wednesday, May 2, 1945 ADOLF HITLER, is dead. Grand Admiral Doenitz (pictured right), Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy, has been appointed the new Fuhrer. The German radio gave the news to the world at 10.25 last night in the following words: "It is reported from the Fuhrer's headquarters that our Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, has fallen this afternoon in his command post in the Reich Chancellery fighting to his last breath against Bolshevism. "On April 30 the Fuhrer appointed Grand Admiral Doenitz as his successor. The Grand Admiral will now speak to the German people." Admiral Doenitz, who immediately came on the air, said his task was to save the German people from annihilation at the hands of Bolshevism. For that aim, only the war would go on. Germany would have to continue the fight against Britain and America as long as they "hindered this purpose". The naming of Doenitz as the new Fuhrer comes as a bombshell. It suggests that what remains of Germany has been split into two camps � those who wish to fight on, led by Doemtz, and those who want to surrender, led by Himmler. It is significant no reference was made in the announcement to Himmler, who has already offered unconditional surrender to Britain and the United States, and was expected to comply with the Allied demand that capitulation must be made also to Russia. None of the big names of Nazism were there to pledge support to the new Fuhrer. Where was Goebbels? Where was Ribbentrop? No marshal or general was called to the microphone to give force to an Order of the Day by Doenitz calling on the Army to fight on. 'WE FIGHT SOVIETS' Doenitz said: "German men and women, soldiers of the German Army, our Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, has fallen. The German people are bowed in sorrow and reverence. "Our Fuhrer had recognised very early the grim danger of Bolshevism and consecrated his life to the struggle against it. "At the end of his struggle he met a hero's death in the capital of the German Reich. "The Fuhrer's life was given entirely to the service of Germany. His struggle against the stormfloods of Bolshevism was made not only for the sake of Europe but also for the whole civilised world. "The Fuhrer appointed me to be his successor. Fully conscious of the responsibility, I take over the leadership of the German people in this fateful hour.
"My first task will be to save the German people from the advance of the Bolshevist enemy. For this aim only the military struggle continues. "For just as long, and as far, as the reaching of our aim is impeded by the Anglo-Americans, we shall continue to defend ourselves against them.
"The continuation of the war by the Anglo-Americans cannot benefit their own people, but can only serve to spread Bolshevism in Europe." APPEAL TO NATION Doenitz then appealed to the German people: "Give me your confidence, because your road is my road. Keep order and discipline in town and country. "Only thus shall we be able to mitigate the suffering which the coming times will bring to us. "If we do what is in our power, the Almighty will not abandon us, after we have suffered so much and made so many sacrifices." Finally, as "Supreme Commander of all branches of the Wehrmacht," Doenitz issued an Order of the Day to the Army in which he expressed his determination "to continue the struggle against the Bolsheviks until such time as the fighting troops and the hundreds of thousands of families of the German

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Doenitz cannot hold Reich together

By WILSON BROADBENT Diplomatic Correspondent THE Prime Minister will make a full statement in the House of Commons today about the events in Germany and the new situation which has arisen following Hitler's death. That event came as no surprise to the British Government, for it confirmed all their information. But the deathbed appointment of Admiral Doenitz as Fuhrer was, as far as could be ascertained early this morning, totally unexpected. Of all the men who might have been entrusted to carry on the Nazi tradition � if that is his task � he was the last selection that anybody would have expected. His appointment raises many speculations and only the unfolding of events in the next few days, of course, can be a sure guide.
A Whitehall official said last night: "This must be the end. It is difficult to imagine that a person like Admiral Doenitz can command sufficient support from the army."
No Faith Obviously, Hitler, in his last moments, had no faith in his generals, otherwise he would have selected one of them to continue the fight. For instance, there is the Battle of Berlin to be continued. Admiral Doenitz is hardly the man who can command generals to wage this battle against hopeless odds.
But what of Himmler, Goebbels, Ribbentrop and Goring?
It is an easy assumption that Admiral Doenitz may have seized power in the absence of Himmler. Goebbels is believed to have remained in Berlin at Hitler's side. Yet the pomp and radio panoply which accompanied the announcement of Hitler's death indicated the practised hand of Goebbels. There must be some significance in the fact that Himmler's name was omitted from the broadcast.
This striking omission is thought in some quarters to indicate that Himmler is still bent on negotiating a separate peace, regardless of other elements in Germany.
Near collapse The whole situation created by Hitler's death and Doenitz's appointment suggests chaos and near collapse. It is assumed that Doenitz is in Hamburg, which would place him in a useful position to exercise some control over the land troops in Norway and Denmark and to organise what is left of the German navy.

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Fool ships into Holland, and�

Surrender begins on three fronts

REPORTS received in London late last night indicated that large German forces on widely separated fronts have begun to surrender piecemeal to the Allies with or without authority from Doenitz or Himmler.
DENMARK. � German occupation forces were reported from Stockholm to be evacuating the country with all speed. King Christian and the Danish Royal Family are all back in Amalienborg Castle, Copenhagen. NORWAY. � Negotiations were said to be going on for the German garrisons to lay down their arms at the Swedish frontier to escape Norwegian reprisals. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA. � A delegation of German and Czech industrialists was reported by Luxemburg radio to have left Prague to meet Allied representatives and hand over the territories of Bohemia and Moravia. SOUTHERN GERMANY. � Goerlitz radio announced that an important announcement would be made by the Gauleiter of the Upper Danube territory this morning. ITALY. � Marshal Graziani and Lieut.-General Pemsel, German Chief of Staff of the Italian Fascist Ligurian Army, last night announced the surrender of that army HOLLAND. � Food ships for the starving Dutch are to enter Rotterdam almost at once. Food is also to enter the German-occupied area of Holland by road, starting to-day.

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'IMPORTANT NEWS TO-DAY' �GERMANS

Gorlitz (South Germany) Radio announces: "Important news will be broadcast between 10.30am and noon to-day." � A.P.

'TRICKERY'-MOSCOW

Moscow radio said German announcement of Hitler's death "repeats the usual trickery and twists of Hitlerite propaganda."-A.P.

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WAGNERIAN CONCERT OF DEATH 90 minutes of radio suspense

From THE DAILY MAIL RADIO STATION THE 90 minutes before its announcement of Hitler's death last night were the most dramatic of the war for the German radio. Stand-by warnings were repeated continuously. While the world waited in suspense, the solemn music of Wagner rolled out from the last stations of the Reich. And the "Achtung" interruptions came with fanfares and drum rolls. From Bremen, in English, listeners were told that an announcement by the German Government would be broadcast at 9pm. Not since Hitler came to power had that term "German Government" been used over the radio. All major announcements were made "by the Fuhrer". From 9 until 9.30 Hamburg Radio was putting over Wagner's "Tannhauser" and a piano concerto by Weber. At 9.40 the "Stand-by" warning was given again. This was followed by Wagner's "Twilight of the Gods". An announcer came to the microphone, at 9.43, shouting: "Achtung! Achtung! The German broadcasting system is going to give an important German Government announcement for the German people." More music followed, from Wagner's "Rhinegold." At 9.57 the "Achtung" warning was repeated and the announcer added: "We are now going to play the slow movement of Bruckner's Seventh Symphony" (commemorating the death of Wagner). Abruptly at 10.25 the music stopped. There came three rolls of the drums � a moment's silence, and then the news of Adolf Hitler's death. This was followed by the German National Anthem the Horst Wessel song, more drum-rolls, and a three-minutes silence. All German radio stations scrapped the midnight news bulletin and repeated the announcement of Hitler's death.