High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The German Instrument of Surrender was the legal instrument that established the armistice ending World War II in Europe. It was signed by representatives of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the Allied Expeditionary Force and Soviet High Command on May 7 and formally ratified on May 8, 1945. The date is known in the West as Victory in Europe Day. There were three language versions of the surrender document. The English and Russian versions were the only authoritative ones. The English version was typed by Susan Hibbert.