The German occupation of the Channel Islands still haunts Britain's image of itself at war. The substantial German garrison and small size oif the islands meant that resistance was impossible. Yes, the title of the film is not an exaggeration – potato peel pie really was a dish that people were eating at the time. Duncan Barrett is the author of Hitler’s British Isles, which is due to be published by Simon & Schuster in June 2018. Some ended up in prison or even lost their lives for going against German authority. A. The German Occupation of Guernsey, Channel Islands Visit Guernsey May 8, 2019 The biggest impact on the Islands during the 20th century was when … “I don’t have any swines,” he told the German – although he did, in fact, have two pigs hidden in a secret pig sty. Although the Germans treated the local people reasonably well, they imported slave workers from various European countries to build the fortifications on the island. About The Channel Islands; Latest information on COVID-19 and travel to Jersey & Guernsey ... German Occupation - Fortifications and Military History Share . Channel Islands Liberated- the End of German Occupation, Channel Islands, 1945 D24595 Receiving a message from the Germans agreeing to a meeting at midnight on 8–9 May, the ships returned to the same south west coast location off Guernsey and a German … In this section you will find: Guernsey Occupied - this is a past exhibition about the occupation in general. When the Germans became aware that there were British soldiers on the island, they set an ultimatum: the soldiers were to hand themselves in by a certain date and they would be sent to a prisoner of war camp to live out the remainder of the war in safety. The pig-owner had to pretend that he hadn’t understood the original question – and luckily, he got away with it. Sark itself is still a unique time capsule as one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned and exploring on foot, by bike or on a horse drawn carriage is the best way to get around. It was a meal you could make if you only had potatoes, with potato peelings on top. Having a relationship with someone from the ‘other side’ was considered much worse than some of the wrongdoings that – to me – seemed more deserving of anger: collaboration, dodgy trading with the Germans, etc. Many of them lived in people’s houses, so if you had a spare room, then you were likely to have a German living with you. Speaking your mind could get you into a lot of trouble. From changing the clocks to reflect the time in Germany to restricting activities such a fishing, club meetings and the singing of patriotic songs, islanders had to abide by these newly imposed laws otherwise they would have been arrested, or even faced the risk of being deported. Finally, in 1945, an announcement was given by Prime Minister Winston Churchill: Read 29 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. During the German occupation of the Channel Islands, there was limited resistance. Officers used the Island for shooting and training, and by the end of the Occupation there was only one Guernsey family living there. I was quite shocked to hear how angry people can get about this subject even all these years later. In Jersey, for example, one physiotherapist hid a Jewish woman in his basement for years while he treated the German soldiers in his consulting room directly above. Years before WWII took hold, the famous French writer Victor Hugo – writer of Les Misérables – called Guernsey home for 15 years in the 1800s and the Island is well-known for its Neolithic remains, ancient dolmens, tales of folklore, cultural traditions, Roman influences, Napoleonic fortifications and so much more. German armed forces ruled the Channel Islands from June 1940 until May 1945. A large number of these people were Russians who were treated particularly badly by the Nazis, who viewed them as “Untermenschen” (sub-human). The SS Vega, a vessel run by the Red Cross was a lifeline and arrived with a lifesaving cargo in December 1944. Explore unique wartime history and see the traces the five-year-long occupation left behind, from concrete defences, bunkers and fortifications to a network of underground tunnels. It was one thing to be polite to someone, but it was a massive taboo to actually be in a relationship with ‘the enemy’. You have successfully linked your account! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. One could say it is a miracle that the remains of the Priory were not completely destroyed as you can still go and see them to this very day. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister at the time, was hesitant to make this decision but the Islands offered no strategic benefit. And our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today.’. So there was definitely this feeling among the locals that they were judged by the outside world for even quite innocent interactions like that. The papers may lay to rest accusations that some Channel … was deposited at the Jersey Archive in September 2001. Some were sent to prisons and camps, while others resisted with acts of protest and defiance between 1940 and 1945. 68th Liberation Day 2013, The Guernsey Event Company. Although there were instances where the people in authority made questionable decisions to keep the peace, you have to remember that everyone was in a very difficult situation and it’s easy to judge actions in hindsight. On October 3rd 1942, 12 British Commandos of the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) launched ‘Operation BASALT’ raiding Sark Island to capture prisoners and offensive reconnaissance. There was humanitarian resistance too. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. A. I think it helped that the people in charge of the occupation were these German aristocrats who, if anything, were quite suspicious of Hitler and his fascist ideology. Some even remember specific acts of kindness from soldiers who wanted to help rather than take control. On 8th May 1945, Churchill announced the end of the war in Europe, and the Islands of Guernsey were freed on the following day. I would also argue that the so-called ‘model occupation’ became harder to sustain as tensions grew and trust began to break down. Guernsey’s history is a fascinating one that spans centuries. 69th Liberation Day 2014, The Guernsey Event Company, *Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, the events below have been put on hold. This page tells the story of the two Woolworth stores during the period of German occupation. Location: Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark) Outcome: Operation Green Arrow, the German occupation of the Channel Islands, was achieved swiftly and with few casualties. Actors Glen Powell and Lily James in ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’ (2018), which portrayals life in the Channel Islands following the German occupation of WW2. This was exemplified in an instance relatively early on, in 1940, when two local Guernsey lads who had signed up to the British Army returned to the island on a reconnaissance mission. Alderney’s experience of the Occupation was very different to the other Islands, but at just 3 miles long by 1 ½ miles wide, it packs a great deal of history into its modern day visitor offerings with natural trails, military walks, Victorian forts, bunker open days and other annual events and tours. I interviewed a man who was involved with tarring at least one of these women, and he told me that the ‘jerrybags’ were considered just as much ‘the enemy’ as the Germans. The smallest of the four main Channel Islands, Sark is located some 80 miles from the south coast of England and only 24 miles from the north coast of France. The Channel Islands were the only part of the Britain Isles to be occupied by German forces in WW2. In Jersey the arrival of the invader was equally un-dramatic. Those who were discovered to be having these illicit relationships had their heads shaved and were ‘tarred and feathered’ – had liquid tar and feathers poured over them. Against The Tide book. Guernsey fell to the Germans without a shot being fired on 30 June 1940, with Jersey falling the following day on 1 July 1940. Please enter your number below. The soldiers did hand themselves in, but the Germans went back on their promise and they were sentenced to death. In comparison, resistance in German-occupied France was possible because the Maquis [rural guerrilla bands of resistance fighters] were able to disappear into the mountainous terrain from which they took their name. A German control tower and observation post with radar in St Ouen, Jersey during the German occupation of the Channel Islands, pictured in 1945 (Picture: TopFoto/PA). In 1940, during the darkest days of World War Two, the evacuation of women, children, the elderly and infirm was ordered from Gibraltar, in order to fortify the Rock…. It varied between the islands to some extent. The five-year occupation came to an end on 9 May 1945 - Liberation Day, an event still celebrated in Jersey with an annual Bank Holiday. the occupation and liberation of the channel islands 1940-1945 HU 25932. With Saskia Reeves, Owen Teale, Julia Ford, Clare Holman. In Jersey a number of Jews were deported along with other islanders – they were treated comparatively better than many other Jews in occupied Europe and survived the war. The Islands of Guernsey are what’s known as an ‘archipelago’ – a collection of islands located on the English Channel between England and France. The Islands were the only British territory Hitler ever conquered, and locals had most of their lands, belongings, food and freedom taken away. There was a feeling among the islanders who had stayed that the ones who had left had been cowardly, while the ones who had left felt that they had experienced the Blitz and been properly “at war” while their friends and relatives at home had been “making friends” with German soldiers. There seems to be a problem, please try again. There is one house on Lihou, which was used for target practice by heavy artillery during the Occupation. Subscribe to latest events View Event Website Events you might be interested in. The mounting pressure on food and ration supplies resulted in the early release of prisoners, but the situation was becoming critical. Islanders all had different experiences of the war as some sadly lost their lives and loved ones, while others formed civil relationships and found new ways to live with their enemies. The dwindling numbers of islanders present then and alive today have, without exception, vivid memories of the final events of their occupation by German troops. Alderney celebrates ‘Homecoming Day’ on December 15th as an alternative to Guernsey’s Liberation Day celebrations in May, as the Island required a huge amount of clearing and it operated as a communal farm while order was restored. Obviously not every Guernsey resident felt the same way. They couldn’t speak freely, they were living under curfew and they were often struggling for food. The Channel Islands were the only part of Britain to have been occupied by German forces in World War II. 30 June 1940 : Occupation began 15 Sept 1942 : Deportation order 27 Dec 1944 : Red cross ship Vega arrives with food 9 May 1945 : Liberation The occupation of the Channel Islands by the Germans may have been a small episode in the Second World War, but it … It was used to practise landing from barges in preparation for the invasion of England, under the guise of shooting a propaganda film called ‘The Invasion of the Isle of Wight’. It gives islanders a chance to rejoice in their freedom and reflect on those who had to endure everything that the Occupation brought with it. WWII fortifications across the Islands of Guernsey were constructed by captured men forced into work. Islanders collecting Red Cross parcels from Le Riche’s shop in St Peter Port, Guernsey. In Alderney, virtually all residents were evacuated and this became the most heavily fortified of the Islands. Even so, over twenty civilians died for resistance against the occupiers. A. A. There were people who did denounce their neighbours or became paid informants working directly for the Germans, but it would be unfair to call the vast majority ‘collaborators’. A. I interviewed hundreds of residents for my book, Hitler’s British Isles, and something that came up repeatedly was this idea that “there were Nazis, and there were Germans”. Many local people saw the Germans as normal men who had found themselves in uniform. How Thomas Becket’s feud with Henry II led to murder, 2020 round-up: we choose our top HistoryExtra podcasts of the year, The great misconceptions of the Second World War, Killing Hitler’s hangman: the dramatic story of Reinhard Heydrich’s assassination, Laurence Rees on the perpetrators of the Holocaust: “What they told us was, at the time, they felt it was the right thing to do”. Rachel Dinning is Digital Editorial Assistant at HistoryExtra, Save over 50% on a gift subscription to their favourite history magazine. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to fall under Nazi Occupation during World War Two.. After the German offensive raced through France, the British government concluded in June 1940 that the islands were indefensible; island officials were ordered to demilitarise and some citizens were evacuated to mainland Britain. A. Although islanders were given work by the Germans, many refused it despite the benefits that were promised to them. 9th May is a Bank Holiday on the Islands of Guernsey, and Guernsey’s capital town of St Peter Port comes alive with thousands of people attending parades, firework displays, live music, entertainment and activities for everyone to enjoy. A sense of freedom, and the reminder of how truly resilient the islanders of Guernsey were, is what underpins the celebratory atmosphere that runs through all of the festivities. Islands in Danger: Story of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands, 1940-45 by Alan Seaton-Wood: 1945: Jersey Occupied: The German Armed Forces in Jersey 1940-1945 by Michael Ginns: 1945: Jersey Under the Jackboot by R. C. F. Maugham: 1945: The Model Occupation: The Channel Islands Under German Rule 1940-1945 by Madeleine Bunting: 1945 Just a fortnight earlier Whitehall had ordered the Channel Islands to be demilitarised and had carried out elaborate voluntary evacuation plans. A. Alderney was the only Channel Island to be evacuated during WWII as the island became part of Hitler's Atlantic Wall. At the same time, for five years the residents lived an existence that wasn’t completely free. When the tide is right, you can walk over and explore the abundance of flora and fauna, a Benedictine Priory from the 12th century and a crystal clear Venus Pool. You previously said that the islanders’ relationship with the Germans was … The Jersey Channel Islands Occupation Society's collection of Occupation ephemera, photographs, etc. While there wasn’t a resistance in the militarised sense of the word, there were definitely moments of rebellion – acts of arson and graffiti, for example. (Public domain) After their liberation in 1945, a silence fell over the islands … Head over to www.visitguernsey.com/heritage75 to browse through the Heritage75 programme and join the Islands of Guernsey in 2020 for a year that is not to be missed! Most Jews had already evacuated from the islands before the Germans arrived. Although considered to be hidden gems, the islands were not able to evade German occupation during World War II and subsequently the number of fortifications that still stand today and the history that surrounds them is both fascinating and astonishing. All five Islands quickly found themselves under German rule, each serving their own purpose for what became known as ‘Hitler’s Island Madness’ as the Channel Islands became the most fortified place in the world. Guernsey is the largest of five, and its sister Islands of Herm, Sark, Alderney and Lihou are a short boat trip (or even walk) away. German planes bombed the harbour in Guernsey’s capital parish of St Peter Port after mistaking a group of tomato lorries for a convoy of troop carriers and, after 48 hours, German troops began to land and their flag was raised. There are many families living in Guernsey whose parents or grandparents can recall specific details from life as a child during the Occupation. As 2020 will mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Islands of Guernsey, the festivities will be kept alive for even longer as a special recognition of this. The Jersey garison alone exceeded 11,500 men. This was for two reasons: firstly, Britain didn’t have the resources to fight for the islanders, and the local people had been told not to resist; secondly, the geography of the Channel Islands would have made it very difficult for a potential resistance to hide and organise ­– the islands were very small, flat and easily searched. Tens of thousands of islanders had been evacuated to Britain just before the Germans arrived on the Channel Islands in 1940, and when they returned there was a difficult period of reintegration. It was extremely difficult for everyone. The Channel Islands, two British territories, fell under German occupation in 1940 during WWII. Gallery of photos showing the German occupation of the Channel Islands by the Nazis in World War II Guernsey Island Confirmation World War Two Ww2 Berry Potato Envelope Germany England On 4 July 1940, Ruth Berry, a Guernsey mother who had been evacuated to England, obtained confirmation that her island had been occupied by Germany. Guernsey and the other Channel Islands were occupied by German Forces during the Second World War. Herm Island, which is only 20 minutes away from Guernsey by ferry, was initially passed by the Germans but was later claimed by the Third Reich on July 20th 1940. Others remained undiscovered or in hiding. To this day, the locals are very aware that this idea exists about them. The five-year German occupation came to an end on 16 May 1945 and the first day the islanders were able to return to their island on December 15 is known as Homecoming Day, an event still celebrated in Alderney with an annual Bank Holiday. Guernsey was officially occupied from 30th June 1940 when it was left undefended after the British Government decided to de-militarise it. The Jerrybags who slept with German soldiers are a reminder that the bulldog breed collaborated too. She brought with her food and medical supplies. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. Copyright © Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. The whole book can be found under Resources on the Occupation Memorial website. The Islands thus became the only British territory to be occupied by the Germans during the War. When the slave workers escaped, locals would often let them hide in their homes. Many of the men who had served in the First World War, and who were perhaps too old to fight in the Second World War, found it difficult to accept the presence of the Germans. They were in a precarious position: if they were discovered and classified as spies, then they could be shot. The Germans stationed axsubstantial garrison on the Island. Although they were granted a last-minute reprieve on Christmas Eve 1940, by this point one of the men’s fathers had already committed suicide. They managed to do a certain amount of trading with France – the Germans actually allowed that – but after D-Day [the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944], they were cut off and began to starve. Find out in our ‘Everything you need to know about Nazi Germany’ podcast. Before the war, the island had been massively reliant on importing and exporting with the mainland. It gives a good overview in different sections from invasion to liberation. Little did they know this would be for almost five years. People were always pushing the boundaries of what they could get away with. From their perspective, they had “beaten them once”, and now they were back again – this time right on their doorstep. He considered the Channel Islands to be his ‘stepping stone’ to the British Isles. 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