So the Russians and the Americans have linked at last, on the Elbe, and Germany has been cut in two. Torgan, unheard of until tonight, is, we are told, northeast of Leipzig.

• World War ll London Blitz Diaries

• Friday, April 27, 1945

This evening the B.B.C. read an announcement, just given out from 10 Downing Street, to this effect:

General Eisenhower reports that firm contact has been established between his ground forces and those of our Soviet Allies. The commanders of a United States division and of a Russian Guards division met at Torgan on April 26, at four p.m.

So the Russians and the Americans have linked at last, on the Elbe, and Germany has been cut in two. Torgan, unheard of until tonight, is, we are told, northeast of Leipzig.

Moscow announces that Russian forces fighting for the conquest of Berlin have captured Potsdam, Spandau, and Rathenow. Farther west, Regensburg (old time Ratisbon) has fallen to the Americans, the Third Army, today, the Twenty-Seventh of April. Bremen is now virtually in British possession. General Dittmar, radio commentator of the German High Command, has given himself up to us in Magdeburg. He has declared that it is true Hitler is in Berlin, and his own opinion that Hitler would die there. Also he expressed his own belief that the war would be over in a few days. Goring has asked Hitler to allow him to resign from the Command of the Luftwaffe, for reasons of health! He is supposed to be suffering from a bad heart. Maybe is his, but more likely Himmler chose to demote him.

• Monday April 30, 1945

Mussolini is dead. The story is he was caught in Como yesterday whilst trying to escape, and was hanged there, with his mistress also, and that today the dead bodies were brought to Milan and exposed there. Hitler is reported dying. He has suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in Berlin. I suppose, in one of his rages, he has literally burst a blood vessel.  Himmler, through Count Bernadette, has offered unconditional surrender, but to the British and Americans only. This news comes via San Francisco. Our governments decline to accept such an offer; they maintain that unconditional surrender must be made to all the allies, particularly inclusive of Russia. Of course.

It is now eleven p.m. and the German radio, at ten-twenty p.m., announced the death of Hitler, “fallen at the head of his army, in the depths of his Capitol.” Admiral Donitz made the announcement, and added that he was now the Fuehrer, by designation of Hitler. Who knows? Why didn’t Goebbels do the announcing?

• Tuesday May 2, 1945

Another of Joan’s surprise visits. She arrived about seven-fifty a.m. and had only heard of Hitler’s death on her way here. As she listened to the eight a.m. news she began to cry. I was at the gas stove, making the breakfast toast; poor Joan came and threw herself into my arms, and had a weeping fit. She was thinking of George, of course.

Tonight’s news: Ten forty-five p.m.  is of the unconditional surrender of all the German Armies in North Italy, about a million men.

5-3-45 Berlin has fallen. The Russians are in complete possession of the city. Many high officers and Party men have been taken prisoners. One of them, a propagandist minister, second to Goebbels, says that Hitler committed suicide, and Goebbels also.

          World War ll London Blitz Diaries

• Wednesday, May 3, 1945

Berlin has fallen. The Russians are in complete possession of the city. Many high officers and Party men have been taken prisoners. One of them, a propagandist minister, second to Goebbels, says that Hitler committed suicide, and Goebbels also. This may or may not be true, but it would account for why Goebbels did not announce the death of Hitler. These Germans say Hitler has been dead for some days, but that the Nazi’s had been trying to build up a legend of him as the hero; now, as the beloved leader, fighting to the death against Bolshevism. Admiral Domitz says, “The fight will go on”, but does not say exactly how! Today he has declared Prague a “hospital city”, so that will not be assaulted, this also looks as though he will not continue the fight long, no matter what he says. Amongst others, Rundstedt has been taken prisoner. Ribbentrop has been deposed as Foreign Minister, but is unheard from. Laval and Deat have landed from a plane in Barcelona. France ordered them to depart again, but they refused to go, so they have been interned; at least, that’s the story.

It is now three-thirty p.m. and a nasty day, cold and dreary. This is our fortieth wedding anniversary. No celebrations, Ted asked me if I would like to go to the movies, but I said no thank-you. It is three years since I have been to the movies, and I have lost all inclination to go. Then, besides, all cinemas this week are showing pictures of the German concentration camps, and I certainly don’t want to look at these. Joan had seen them, and she says they are awful, absolutely horrifying. Yet she thinks people should see them. Perhaps; but not me, I cant do anything about the horrors, now or ever, so I cant see any use in making myself sick looking at them.

• Sunday May 6, 1945

I wrote to Charlie and Marjorie. As usual, this has made me very homesick for New Jersey. The end of the war is in sight. The Germans are surrendering wholesale, Northern Italy, North West Germany, and Holland, Denmark.

Eire! DeValera, accompanied by J.P. Walshe, Secretary to the Department of External affairs, called on the German Minister in Dublin last evening to express condolence on Hitler’s death. Beautiful darling Irish again! Blast them!

• Monday May 7, 1945

We received a letter from Cuthie, written on May 3, 1945 “Somewhere in Germany.” I cannot transcribe it because Ted has taken possession of it, but it was to tell us that he and a few hundred others had been relieved by the British Army on the previous day; that they were still “quite dazed”, but they hoped to get to Lunaberg the following day for a bath, and to be home soon. He signed it with all his official numbers, etc, and ex-P.O.W. I noticed the “ex” Ted noticed htat he still signed as Sergeant, so could not have had mail for a long time past as evidently he was unaware of his promotion.

Today came the news of the final capitulation of all Germany. The “new “ Foreign Minister, Count Schwem von Krogik, has broadcast to his German people announcing the unconditional surrender of all fighting German troops. Grand Admiral Donitz, the new Fuehrer, has ordered the unconditional surrender of all German fighting forces including his own navy of course.

So the war in Europe is over.

This news was given us on the B.B.C. just before eight tonight. Tomorrow is to be observed as official VE Day. Churchill will broadcast the official proclamation at three p.m., and the King is to broadcast at nine o’clock in the evening both tomorrow and Wednesday are to be holidays in the United Kingdom.

There is a feeling of anti-climax. I feel too sad for words.

• Tuesday May 8, 1945 Wednesday May 9, 1945 VE Days. Holiday.