Ike's Wartime Photographer, Al Meserlin

Recording the German Surrender, May 5-7, 1945

Al Meserlin

On May 7, 1945, German representatives signed the unconditional surrender document ending World War II in Europe. Taking the official pictures of this momentous occasion was General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s personal wartime photographer, Al Meserlin. Al kept a diary in which he recorded what took place immediately prior to and on May 7th and he has given permission to the Center to post it for all to read.

 

 

Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower (right) smiles as he holds the two pens used by German representatives to sign the unconditional surrender document ending World War II in Europe in the early morning of May 7, 1945. His chief of staff, Lt. General Walter Bedell Smith, looks on, left in the picture. A jubilant staff surrounds both of the men. 

 

 

 

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May 5, 1945 — Saturday

General Admiral Friedeberg arrived at SHAEF Hdqrs. at exactly 5:04 P.M. I was sent out to the Rheims Airfield at noon to wait for his plane, but due to weather conditions they were grounded at Brussels; therefore they drove down and arrived late.

 

 German Colonel General Alfred Jodl, center, seated at the surrender table 
in Ike's war room, Rheims, France.
 General Admiral Hans von Friedeburg, commander-in-chief of
 the German Navy is at Jodl's left, Jodl's aide to his right.

 

I took pictures of Admiral Friedeberg entering SHAEF. He was first ushered to a private office with his Aide, Col. Poleck. The washed and had sandwiches and coffee. Later they conferred with General Bedell Smith, Chief of Staff, SHAEF, and no agreement was reached. During this time I tried and fairly succeeded in getting shots of Friedeberg, etc. This went on until supper time and finally nothing was settled. The following day Jack Howell and I got up early.

May 6, 1945 — Sunday.

At 3:35 in the afternoon, Jack and I drove out to Rheims airfield A62. At 4:50 a C-47 landed. I took three shots at the airfield, one of Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff, German Army, getting out of plane and two close-ups of him. He had a very furious look on his face, and definitely hated U.S. Army photographers. He gave me the dirtiest look every time I took his picture.

Jack and I left the airfield a few seconds before the others and I got shots of Gen. Alfred Jodl entering SHAEF at 5:15. He went to a private office and conferred with Gen. Adm. Friedeberg. Then they both went to Gen. B. Smiths office and talked for over an hour and a half. In the meantime I got every picture possible. Everything happened very fast. After this conference they told us all to go and come back at eleven. This we did. Jack and I returned at 11:00 pm, hung around and nothing happened. At 1:30 am, May 7, they told us to go to sleep and if anything happened we would be called. At 2:00 am we were called. Just as I had started falling asleep. Of course I was all on edge and thinking of this great event and of getting home to my darling wife. It was so hard to get to sleep.

At 2:00 am I went up to the war room after getting dressed in nothing flat. I just couldn't wait to get to the war room.

All of our staff officers entered first. I took several shots of them as they stood around the table chatting very nonchalantly. The war room was jammed with photographers and movie cameras. Soon the Germans entered. It was a very short ceremony. First the Germans signed, Gen. Jodl and then allied officers. I managed to get shots of all except the French representative.

In all my experience with a camera I have never worked so fast, and worked u such a sweat. Before the ceremony was finished I was soaking wet.

Then Gen. Jodl gave a short speech in German and I thought surely he would burst into tears. During all this, flash bulbs and movies cameras were going off as they never had before, to photograph this most historical moment.

When this ceremony was over, the Russian representative and later the Germans went into Gen. Ike's private office. I did my best to photograph all of this, working up more of a sweat. Gen. Ike was very harsh with the Germans. I was so enthused about taking pictures that I couldn't get all the General said, but it was to the effect that the Nazis must follow all surrender terms, or else. The Germans left General Ike's office first, and then we photographed him and his staff in all their glory.

He held the two pens that were used in the signing. All the time I have been with the General, I have never seen him in such a happy mood.

Air Marshall Tedder was on Ike's left and General Smith on his right. As long as I live I shall never forget this occasion. I still cannot believe I was present at this happy ceremony.

After taking the shots in the General's office, Gen. Eisenhower went back to the War Room to make his Victory Speech. Here I took as many pictures as possible to get the best of Ike's expressions.

He left shortly and I finished up my captions and took all my 4 film packs and addressed them to APS.fe of Army career have I every thought I would be in the room when peace terms were taking place. How I received such a lucky break I'll never know.