1940.
On 30 June 1940, the Nazis began their invasion of the Channel Islands – a group of British Crown dependency islands off the coast of France. This was the result of the German invasion of Western Europe. From May 1940, Nazi troops had been moving west.
How long did Germany occupy Channel Islands?
five-year
During the five-year German occupation of the Channel Islands (30 June 1940 to 9 May 1945) civilian life became much more difficult. During that time, the Channel Islanders had to live under and obey the laws of Nazi Germany and work with their occupiers in order to survive and reduce the impact of occupation.
Which Channel island did the Germans occupy?
Guernsey
German forces landed on Guernsey on 30 June and on Jersey the next day. There was no organised resistance movement against German forces – only acts by individuals or small groups. The occupying forces enforced a number of restrictions such as a nightly curfew and censorship of the press.
Did the Germans take the Channel Islands?
The Channel Islands were the only British territory to be occupied by the Germans during the Second World War. In 2010, the discovery of a briefcase in Guernsey made it possible to tell the stories of islanders persecuted by the Nazis for the first time.
When did the German occupation of Guernsey end?
8th May 1945
On 8th May 1945, Churchill announced the end of the war in Europe, and the Islands of Guernsey were freed on the following day.
Why did Britain not defend the Channel Islands?
As Germans marched into Paris on June 14, 1940, the British war cabinet debated demilitarising the Channel Islands, believing Britain did not have the military might to defend an area of no strategic value.
What happened to the Germans on the Channel Islands?
The military occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until liberation on 9 May 1945. The Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey are two island countries and British Crown dependencies in the English Channel, near the coast of Normandy.
Why did Germans build tunnels in Jersey?
This vast network of underground tunnels was designed to allow the German occupying infantry to withstand Allied air raids and bombardment in the event of an invasion. In 1943, it was converted into an emergency hospital.
Did German troops ever land in England?
For two or three years afterward, large numbers of British subjects remained convinced that the Nazi invasion of Britain might still happen. But the fact that the Germans never did land on England’s shores, and in reality couldn’t have done so, is perfectly obvious in hindsight.
How many German bunkers are there in Guernsey?
Four are located in Guernsey.
Who liberated the Channel islands?
Liberation on 9 May 1945
The liberation was announced by the then Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, on 8 May 1945. In a statement to the House of Commons, he announced that “our dear Channel Islands will be free tomorrow”. The following day, after five years of occupation, HMS Bulldog arrived in Guernsey.
What nationality is someone from the Channel islands?
The islands are not part of the United Kingdom or European Union, but rather are possessions of the British Crown with independent administrations. Their inhabitants are British citizens.
When was Jersey liberated from the Germans?
9 May 1945
A week after Hitler’s suicide, the German forces in Europe surrendered. Jersey was not to be liberated until a day later on 9 May 1945, when British troops arrived in HMS Beagle.
Was there a concentration camp in Guernsey?
The entrance gates to the Nazi concentration camp Sylt are among the few visible remains left of the camp on Alderney in the Channel Islands, part of the British Crown Dependency known as the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Why are Jersey and Guernsey not French?
The Channel Islands became English possessions when William the Conqueror crossed the channel to invade England. Subsequent wars and marriages resulted in the Crown of England owning huge swathes of France – English King Henry II in the 12th Century ruled right the way to the French border with what later became Spain.
Is the Guernsey movie a true story?
Much of the film is based on true events and facts surrounding what happened to Guernsey during WWII. Guernsey, alongside the other Channel Islands, was the only British territory that the Germans invaded and occupied during the war.
What was Hitler’s plan for Britain?
Adolf Hitler released a directive 80 years ago on July 16, 1940, declaring his plan to cross the English Channel for a full-scale invasion of Britain. But he never got to use it.
Can UK citizens move to the Channel islands?
If you hold a British or EEA passport or have been granted “Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK”, you can move over to Guernsey, live in a single occupancy Open Market property and work on the Island for as long as you wish, or you can live in a multi-occupancy Open Market dwelling and work here for a maximum of 5
Are people from the Channel islands British citizens?
The British Nationality Act 1981 confers British Citizenship on all those with close connections with the UK, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
How many German bunkers are there in Jersey?
As a result of Hitler’s “Fortress” order of October 1941, by which he decreed that the Channel Islands should be made impregnable fortresses against any Allied attempts to recapture them, there are some 300 plus German buildings in Jersey, including the dozens of fortress bunkers dotted around the Island.
How many Channel Islanders died in ww2?
The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles occupied by the Germans in the war. Pantcheff spoke to German guards and prisoners and estimated the number of people who died on the island to be about 400.