Susan Hibbert: Secretary at Eisenhower's wartime headquarters (obit.)
Susan Hibbert was witness to one of the most momentous events in the 20th century – the signing of the German surrender at the end of the Second World War on 7 May 1945. As a 20-year-old British staff sergeant in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) her job was to type up the surrender documents.
She was not alone. Other women typed the French, German and Russian versions. As there had to be unanimous agreement, drafts were dispatched to the three allied capitals – London, Washington and Moscow. Obviously, perfection was required, and a mistake, or amendment, of which there were many, meant that the entire document had to be retyped. Over five days she witnessed the drama unfolding: there was little time for sleep or other necessities.
Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945, naming Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz as President of Germany. The one million German troops in Italy had surrendered the day before to Field Marshal Alexander; on 2 May, Berlin surrendered to the Soviets. Dönitz sent General Alfred Jodl to the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a small redbrick schoolhouse in Reims, to discuss terms.
Read entire article at Independent (UK)
She was not alone. Other women typed the French, German and Russian versions. As there had to be unanimous agreement, drafts were dispatched to the three allied capitals – London, Washington and Moscow. Obviously, perfection was required, and a mistake, or amendment, of which there were many, meant that the entire document had to be retyped. Over five days she witnessed the drama unfolding: there was little time for sleep or other necessities.
Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945, naming Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz as President of Germany. The one million German troops in Italy had surrendered the day before to Field Marshal Alexander; on 2 May, Berlin surrendered to the Soviets. Dönitz sent General Alfred Jodl to the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a small redbrick schoolhouse in Reims, to discuss terms.