Inside the entrance hall.

Early morning on 12 April 1945, COL Normando Costello, Commander, 319th Infantry Regiment, drew up a surrender ultimatum in the village of Troistedt, southwest of Weimar, and gave it to the Troistedt Mayor, who biked into Weimar to deliver it the Weimar Mayor. Since some US troops had been ambushed by German SS units near the city, Costello had artillery ready to fire from a hill overlooking the city, and tanks in position to attack if resistance continued. However, he decided to negotiate a surrender if possible.

Weimar Mayor Koch held an executive session with local police and city staff, and at 0900 hrs sent his acceptance of surrender terms, since the main part of the city was already destroyed and they had minimal forces left to defend it. After Costello received the notification, he entered the town with a group of four jeeps at 1000 hrs, and was mobbed by about 2000 Germans in the main square. All local citizens were not excited -- some older Germans deliberately turned their backs and glared sullenly at the ground when the American units came through -- but the city surrendered without further destruction or bloodshed.

On 7 October 2000, a group of 80th Infantry Division Veterans donated a plaque commemorating Weimars honorable and peaceful surrender, in a ceremony in the entry hall of Weimar City Hall with local officials and survivors.

Source of information: www.80thdivision.com, www.nytimes.com, stadt.weimar.de

Source of photos: www.80thdivision.com

[80th Infantry Division patch]

IM GEDENKEN AN DIE EHRENHAFTE

UND UNBLUTIGE ÜBERGABE VON WEIMAR AN DIE

80. AMERIKANISCHE INFANTERIEDIVISION

AM 12. APRIL 1945

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE HONORABLE

AND PEACEFUL SURRENDER OF WEIMAR TO THE

80TH INFANTRY DIVISION

APRIL 12, 1945 

PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF WEIMAR BY VETERANS OF THE

80TH INFANTRY DIVISION U.S. THIRD ARMY ON OCTOBER 7, 2000