Printed broadside, 20.5 x 19.5, headed “Military Government—Germany, Supreme Commander’s Area of Control, Proclamation No. 1,” in English and German. In full: "To the People of Germany: I, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, do hereby proclaim as follows:
The Allied Forces serving under my command have now entered Germany. We come as conquerors, but not as oppressors. In the area of Germany occupied by the forces under my command, we shall obliterate Nazi-ism and German Militarism. We shall overthrow the Nazi rule, dissolve the Nazi Party and abolish the cruel, oppressive and discriminatory laws and institutions which the Party has created. We shall eradicate that German Militarism which has so often disrupted the peace of the world. Military and Party leaders, the Gestapo and others suspected of crimes and atrocities will be tried and, if guilty, punished as they deserve.
Supreme legislative, judicial and executive authority and powers within the occupied territory are vested in me as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces and as Military Governor, and the Military Government is established to exercise these powers under my direction. All persons in the occupied territory will obey immediately and without question all the enactments and orders of the Military Government. Military Government Courts will be established for the punishment of offenders. Resistance to the Allied Forces will be ruthlessly stamped out. Other serious offenses will be dealt with severely.
All German courts and educational institutions within the occupied territory are suspended. The Volksgerichtshof, the Sondergerichte, the SS Police Courts and other special courts are deprived of authority throughout the occupied territory. Re-opening of the criminal and civil courts and educational institutions will be authorized when conditions permit.
All officials are charged with the duty of remaining at their posts until further orders, and obeying and enforcing all orders or directions of Military Government or the Allied Authorities addressed to the German Government or the German people. This applies also to officials, employees and workers of all public undertakings and utilities and to all other persons engaged in essential work.” Signed at the conclusion of the English portion in black ink, “Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
Archivally double matted and framed to an overall size of 27 x 26. In fine condition, with a central horizontal fold and three vertical folds.
The Allied Forces message to the German people was plain and simple: surrender...or suffer the consequences. “We come as conquerors, but not as oppressors,” Eisenhower’s message read—desperately trying to make clear that they would not follow “the cruel, oppressive and discriminatory laws and institutions” established by the Nazi Party. What the Allies would do—a point also made clear here—was “eradicate that German Militarism which has so often disrupted the peace of the world. Military and Party leaders, the Gestapo and others suspected of crimes and atrocities will be tried and, if guilty, punished as they deserve.” The Supreme Headquarter Allied Expeditionary Force's Proclamation No. 1, making General Dwight D. Eisenhower supreme authority in the areas of Germany under American control, was issued on February 13, 1944. It was reprinted in newspapers and on leaflets. This broadside proclamation is extremely scarce, and while unsigned versions of this size occasionally appear on the market, this is an exceedingly rare signed example. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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