- Brief Narrative
- Notice issued May 14, 1940, by the German Supreme Military Commander to the Military Commander of the city of Utrecht, Netherlands, demanding the city's unconditional surrender to Germany. It warns that the city is surrounded by German forces, including Stuka bombers, and that the Dutch commander should consider sparing Utrecht and its residents the fate of Warsaw. If Utrecht does not surrender, it will be regarded as a fortress and attacked. The German blitzkrieg attack on the Netherlands began on May 10 with bomb attacks near Rotterdam. On May 14, Rotterdam was attacked and occupied by German troops. This threat to attack Utrecht persuaded the Dutch government to order their forces to stand down and surrender that same evening. This notice was dropped by airplane over the city and saved by a Dutch woman who, with her husband and two small children, lived through the occupation and bombing of her home and neighborhood during the war. She and her husband operated a bakery and had to sneak out at night to purchase bags of flour on the black market. Most of the Netherlands remained under German occupation until the German May 5, 1945, surrender in the region. Canadian forces entered Utrecht on May 7 and the war in Europe was over on May 8.
- Artwork Title
- Ultimatum to Surrender
- Date
-
issue:
1940 May 14
- Geography
-
issue:
Utrecht (Netherlands)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Victor J. Putnam
- Markings
- front, printed font mimicking hand printing, faded black ink : Aan de Commandant te Utrecht. / De Nederlandsche Verdedigingsstelling aan de Grebbe is ingenomen! In de meerderheid zijnde Duitsche strijdkrachten zijn / paraat, van het Oosten, Zuid-Westen en Zuiden onder gelijktijdi- / gen inzet van sterkste Pantser-en Luchtstrijdkrachten (Bommen- / werpers en Stuka's) de stad Utrecht in te vallen. /
Hierdoor vorder ik den Commandant te Utrecht op, den doellosen / strijd op te geven en de / stad over te geven om de stad zelf en de / inwoners het lot van Warschau te besparen. / Ik vorder U op, Uwe onvoorwaardelijke overgave te seinen / (Frequenz 1102 kHz, Roepteeken : hol). /
Anders zou ik tot mijn spijt gedwongen zijn destad Utrecht / als Vesting te beschouwen en den aanval onder inzet van alle / militaire middelen te beginnen. /
De verantwoording voor all daaruit voortkommende / gevolgen lit uitsluitend bij U. / De Duitsche Opperbevelhebber. / 14 Mei 1940 [To the Commander in Utrecht. / The Dutch Defence Proposition to Grebbe! With the majority of German forces being / at standby in the East, South West and South / for simultaneous deployment of powerful armor and Air Force (Bombers / and Stukas) the city of Utrecht will fall under attack. /
Therefore I come to the Commander in Utrecht, to give the order to end the / struggle and surrender to save the city itself and / the residents the fate of Warsaw / I call for You to transmit / Your unconditional surrender (Frequency 1102 kHz, Calls Eeken: cave). / Otherwise I will be forced to my regret to regard Utrecht / as a fortress and start the attack. Commiting all / military resources.
The responsibility for all resulting / consequences rests exclusively with you. /
The German Supreme Commander. / 14 May 1940
- Signature
- TANEOUSLY
- Contributor
-
Issuer:
Germany. Heer (Army), Supreme Military Commander
