Flensburg government

The Flensburg government refers to the short-lived administration that attempted to rule Germany in May 1945 following the suicides of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels and the Fall of Berlin. Led by Hitler's designated successor, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, the administration was referred to as the Flensburg government as Flensburg, near the border with Denmark, was the headquarters of Dönitz by this time, and because the area the government controlled was limited to the vicinity of the town by the encroaching Allied armies. Dönitz appointed Ludwig von Krosigk as Chancellor on May 1 1945 (Goebbels, who Hitler had appointed Chancellor, committed suicide in Berlin on that day). Heinrich Himmler joined Dönitz at Flensburg as Minister of the Interior but was dismissed on May 6th in an attempt to make the government more acceptable to the Allies. Other members of the Flensburg government included Field Marshall Wilhelm Keitel, Alfred Rosenberg, General Alfred Jodl, and Albert Speer. They attempted to direct what was left of Germany's armed forces towards the invading western armies in hopes that they would be captured by British and American forces rather than the Soviet Red Army.

Related Topics:
Germany - May - 1945 - Suicide - Adolf Hitler - Joseph Goebbels - Fall of Berlin - Designated successor - Karl Dönitz - Flensburg - Denmark - Ludwig von Krosigk - Chancellor - May 1 - Heinrich Himmler - May 6 - Wilhelm Keitel - Alfred Rosenberg - Alfred Jodl - Albert Speer - Red Army

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On May 7, 1945, Dönitz authorized Jodl, the Chief-of-Staff of the German Armed Forces, to sign the unconditional surrender of German forces to the Allies. The Flensburg government hoped to preside over post-War Germany as a provisional government but was not recognized by the Allies with its attempts to work with the occupation forces ignored by General Dwight Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander in Europe.

Related Topics:
May 7 - 1945 - Unconditional surrender - Provisional government - Dwight Eisenhower

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Dönitz and his ministers attempted to run what was left of Germany communicating its orders through Radio Flensburg but was largely unsuccessful. The government was dissolved when its members were captured and arrested by British forces on May 23, 1945.

Related Topics:
British forces - May 23 - 1945

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