Germany’s WWII ultimatum to Rotterdam found at auction

An unique capitulation document for the city of Rotterdam in World War II was found on a German auction site. The handwritten piece of paper is over seventy years old and consist of Germany's second ultimatum to the city and the city's surrender, ANP reports. The discovery was made by investigative journalist Gerard Groeneveld. He writes about in in his book Rotterdam Frontstad, which publishes today. In the document, dated May 1940, Germany asks for Rotterdam's surrender. An ultimatum is still being negotiated, even though the preparations to bomb the city are were already in full swing. The surrender was eventually signed after the city was bombed. According to Groeneveld, the document was last seen by Mayor P.J Oud while handling the surrender at Colonel Scharroo's command post. Scharroo was the commander responsible for Rotterdam's defense. After the war Oud stated that the document got lost in the chaos surrounding a shooting incident.