Operation Sunrise was a delicate intelligence operation that took place during the last days of World War II, in 1945, in Ascona. During the weekend of March 18 and 19, 1945, in the midst of the Patronal Feast of St. Joseph, two meetings were held, the first on the slopes of Monte Verità and the second, more decisive, took place at a house on the lake, today La Casetta restaurant of the Eden Rock Hotel. The goal was to secure a negotiated surrender of the German forces present in northern Italy and Austria, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and hasten the end of hostilities in Europe.
The secret negotiations took place between the Allies, represented by Allen Dulles, the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Switzerland, and three German officers, including Karl Wolff. The officers of the German armed forces who participated in these negotiations were known by the code name "Sunrise."
The operation was extremely risky because it involved negotiations between the Allies and the Nazis while the war was still going on. However, the goal was to obtain the unconditional surrender of German troops in Italy and Austria, to prevent further loss of life.
The secret meetings in Ascona were successful and led to the signing of an agreement between the parties. On April 29, 1945, General Wolff signed an agreement with the Americans that provided for the surrender of all German forces in northern Italy. The surrender took effect on May 2, 1945, and saved the lives of thousands of soldiers. German forces surrendered to Allied troops in northern Italy and Austria, helping to end the war in Europe. This agreement became known as the "Pact of Ascona".
The legacy of Operation Sunrise is still a source of debate today. The Soviets were kept in the dark about this negotiation, so much so that Operation Sunrise can be seen as the contributing event to the beginning of the Cold War. What role did Switzerland play in these secret negotiations? Officially, none. However, housing 20 people, including heavily armed bodyguards, in a small village in Ticino and arranging food and transportation for them would have been impossible, at a time of food rationing and increased police controls, without the approval of the authorities. Switzerland benefited from Operation Sunrise because it was able to position itself as a neutral mediator in 1945. This was especially important, since the country had not placed many obstacles in the way of the Third Reich in the preceding years, at least economically.