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SURRENDER OF SIXTH GERMAN ARMY

Conversation between Major General Horace L. McBride, CG, 80th U.S. Inf. Div., and General der Panzer Truppe (U.S. Lt. Gen.) Balck, CG, Sixth German Army, at 081945 in Kirchdorf, Austria.

General Balck: I wish to introduce myself, I am General der Panzer Truppe (U.S. Lt. Gen.) Balck, Commander of the Sixth German Army.

General McBride: Does the General wish to communicate with me and if so, what are his questions?

General Balck: I wish to pay you a visit as well as ask you several questions.

General McBride: Go ahead.

General Balck: I wish to surrender the troops under my command to the American General but I am afraid that the Russians will interfere.

General McBride: All German troops which are north and west of the Enns River will be considered American P.W.’s, however the agreement made between the Allied and German Governments prohibits troops from moving after 090001 May 1945.

General Balck: It is my understanding that I may move my troops across the Enns River, since I want to make sure they will become American P.W.'s

General McBride: Yes, but all movement will have to cease at midnight tonight.

General Balck: But my troops will not be in American lines when they are at Liezen?

General McBride: As long as your troops are across the Enns River, they will be in American lines; moreover, you may move your troops along the Liezen-Seital road as far north as the Pyhrner Pass, otherwise as far north and west of Enns River as shown on map [Gen. McBride outlines boundary on map].

General Balck: How shall I behave towards the Russians who will arrive tomorrow?

General McBride: All I know is that Russian troops will not cross the Enns river.

General Balck: Thank you very much; please understand that this was the main reason for my visit as General.  Soeth's instructions were not entirely clear to me.

General McBride: I have accepted General Soeth's surrender.  All German troops north of the Enns River will be considered as American P.W.’s.

General Balck: I have taken over command of this sector and will follow all your orders and I shall place somebody else in command of German troops south of the Enns River.

General McBride: I shall have a small detachment of troops south of the Pass.

General Balck: I can then use all road space south of the Pass?

General McBride: Certainly; moreover you are free to move as well as to come and go as you wish.  How many rations do you have?

General Balck: I have four day's rations on hand for all troops under my command.

General McBride: Go slowly on them as food presents a very difficult problem.

General Balck: Certainly, the entire Army has had orders to have eight day's rations in the possession of a man.  The reason I estimated only four days is that so many additional troops have straggled into my lines.  By the way, my men wonder what will happen to them; when they will be discharged and when they can go home.

General McBride: I do not know, but I assume that they will be demobilized and returned to their home, but that is not official.

General Balck: Please understand that I am out of communications with my troops coming in from the East [1st and 9th Mt. Divs.] and, moreover, I have no control over the troops further north which come under the Sixth SS Panzer Army. [Points out on map boundary between Sixth German and Sixth SS Pz Armies.]  My main reason for my visit was to get as many of my troops as possible into the American lines before the deadline.  My troops might do anything if they were threatened to become Russian P.W.’s.

General McBride: Do you have any Air Corps Personnel under your command?

General Balck: Yes, quite a lot, however they are all Flak or Air Corps ground Personnel. One of my Pz Gren. Regt.’s consists completely of A/C Personnel.

General McBride: No flying personnel then?

General Balck: No flying personnel except a few cub planes; those however, have been grounded because of lack of fuel.

General McBride: How far are the Russians?

General Balck: I am not sure.  My front lines were approximately there [pointing on the map].  Moreover, the Russians showed no intentions to attack and the bulk of my troops was facing west.

General McBride: How many troops are under your command?

General Balck: I cannot give you an exact figure since there are a great many smaller units such as brigades and ST’s.  I have seven divisions under my command.

General McBride: Which divisions?

General Balck: 1st and 3rd Pz. Divs., 1st and 9th Mt. Divs., 5th SS Pz. Div. "Viking" and the Ukrainian Div.

General McBride: Are all these Divs. going to cross the Enns before midnight?

General Balck: I don't believe so, the Ukrainian Div. is in Kaernten; I couldn't use those men against the Russians; also only a few elements of the Viking Div. may be able to cross, since they are still pretty far south.

General McBride: By the way, did you ever command Army Group "G"?

General Balck: Yes, I did last winter.

General McBride: Then I guess we met before at the Seille River and at St. Avoid. Do you have any other questions?

General Balck: No thank you, but could I call General Soeth over the phone?

General McBride: Certainly.

General Balck: Hello, General Soeth, this is General Balck.  I have just surrendered the Sixth Army to the American General.  Now get this, please: Contact immediately General Breit - you know where his HQ. is,, don't you?

General Soeth: Yes Sir, I know.

General Balck: Tell General Breit to immediately start moving all our troops across the Enns River.  Hurry, please, all troops must be across the river by midnight tonight.  Everybody who is north and west of the Enns River by midnight will be American P.W. The American General says the Russians will not cross the Enns River; better tell that also to your troops in Liezen.  But get in contact with General Breit first.  Any questions?

General Soeth: No sir.

General Balck: O.K., I am leaving here at once.

By Command of Major General McBride

S.P. Walker

Col. Cavalry,

Chief of Staff.

Official:

Richard B. Fleisher, Lt. Col. G.S.C.