Brian De Palma is a Westerner.
NOTOC. Maximilian von Edelsheim -LRB- 6 July 1897 -- 26 April 1994 -RRB- was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II .. World War II. World War II. Wehrmacht. Wehrmacht. Nazi Germany. Nazi Germany. He was a recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords .. He negotiated the surrender of German forces to the Americans at the bridge at Tangermunde on the Elbe River on or about May 2 , 1945 .. Elbe River. Elbe River. The German 12th Army , under General Walther Wenck had previously done a 180 degree turn away from the Western Allies , resulting from an order to relieve Berlin from the Soviet attack .. Walther Wenck. Walther Wenck. Disobeying the order , Wencke fought due East , into the Spree Forest region , toward the town of Halbe and linked up with the remnants of the German 9th Army .. They then reversed and went west , back to the Elbe .. There , Eselsheim crossed the Elbe on a schwimmwagen and negotiated the surrender of all German forces on the East side of the Elbe to the Americans .