General Dempsey, commanding British Second Army, war diary: Extracts concerning Heinrich Himmler Public Record Office, WO.285/12. DATE ENTRY NO. TIME ENTRY MONDAY 30 APR 45 1238. 1630 - Saw C-in-C at my Headquarters. We discussed the dispositions of formations for the Military Government of GERMANY. HIMMLER has already offered unconditional surrender to GREAT BRITAIN and the UNITED STATES, and it is quite probable that he will include RUSSIA in his next offer, which may well come along within the next week. Meanwhile, it is just as important as it always has been that we should reach LUBECK and the BALTIC before our Russian Allies. 1239. 1830 - Saw AOC 83 Group at my Headquarters. During the day the enemy has continued his air effort against our bridges at LAUENBURG and ARTLENBURG, without success. By midday 83 Group had shot down 21 enemy aircraft in this area. Weather: Heavy cloud, windy - cold. Page 358 TUESDAY - 1 MAY 45 1240. 0930 - Flew to SCHAPHUSEN (EAST of BREMEN and saw Commander 30 Corps at his Headquarters. I discussed with him the development of his operations for the CUXHAVEN Peninsula. Things are going slowly, partly owing to enemy opposition but mainly owing to demolitions, craters and the bad state of the going. I told him to get his RIGHT on R ELBE at STADE as soon as he could. This will free the LEFT of 7 Armd Div, whose next move will be across the ELBE. 1241. - Negotiations are now proceeding between HIMMLER and the Governments, between BUSCH (C-in-C North-West) and 21 Army Group, and between SEYSS-INQUART and SHAEF. BUSCH says that as soon as we reach the BALTIC - preferably at LUBECK - he will feel himself to be in a position to offer the unconditional surrender of all the German forces NORTH of the line LAUENBURG - LUBECK In the evening the HAMBURG radio announced the death of HITLER. This would appear to remove the last bar to HIMMLER'S unconditional surrender to the three Powers. 1242. - During the day XVII Corps considerably enlarged their bridgehead at BLECKEDE, and by midday had started the construction of another bridge at DARCHAU. On the 8 Corps front 11 Armd Div made a good, if not very rapid, advance against isolated opposition, and by evening were more than one-third of the way from the ELBE to the BALTIC. Weather: Dull, with light showers - bright intervals.    Monday 21 May 1945 1314 1000 - flew to Seedorf 1315 1030-1630 With Commander 30 Corps in his area: Russian camp at Seedorf: German detention camps at Westertimke: German concentration area between Bremervorde and Stade. Weather shower - heavy rain at night.   Wednesday 23 May, 1945 [. . .]: weather: rain most of the day