Campaign moves Channel Islands WW2 Occupation Remembrance to CRITICAL STATUS.
We have moved Channel Islands Occupation Remembrance to critical today.
The Occupation period was a very difficult period of our Islands’ history. It was understandable that after the War, given the ordeal which the islanders and authorities had to endure and the desire to resume a normal life as soon as possible, there was a period in which Occupation history was put on the back-burner, while lives were rebuilt and a narrative was adopted that parked some of the more difficult issues of the Occupation.
Many important occupation sites like Fort Regent, Jersey, have little if any
true occupation history on the site. We visited to find only information on site
being in a closed public area due to asbestos .
No mention of slave labour camps on site that major holocaust transit hub.
not any Remembrance happens at this site. Jewish Remembrance Site.
Similar across the Channel Islands.
Little information about Slave camps of Guernsey, or Jersey to access and no official guide for Public to access.
Information given to the public, not up to date or misleading, today with release of information in recent years.
Some times Remembrance almost become segregated?
Jersey harbour has sites of Jewish memory. No remembrance.
Arrival of Slave Labour throughout the occupation and German Slave labour evacuation of June 1942.
The important plaque for 2,300 people deported in 1942 to Germany ( significant British history ) (Jersey ) is out of date and key groups missing? and not any mention? and poor sighted plaque. Can be behind park Cars and even lorry's.
Lack of Remembrance Respect.
Guernsey similar issues for Remembrance with occupation groups missing.
been ad hoc approach since 1945.
After 1945 the culture of parking difficult Occupation events, and that's not been addressed. Politicians not understanding of the Occupation history or importance.
Especially with Occupation being parked after 1945 and what that means today.
( what needs to be done )
Been element of focus on Liberation as its positive event, than the major events
of occupation. Public find harder to grasp .
Money is spent on Liberation events with little money for Remembrance events.
Turning the Occupation into a party celebration. Putting Remembrance to the side.
Islands lack official Remembrance Events organised by Island Governments.
Also the memories of occupation become less. Various reasons . The Occupation Generation has become less . Focus on Liberation.
Alderney Remembrance, major gaps across the board. Shocking for such
a important site of Concentration Camps on British Soil. Very significant .
Also Jewish Remembrance is missing. Including Jewish Slave labour. (Across the Islands )
Focus on (each island occupation History), rather have understanding inter related of Occupation history of islands as a whole.
Biggest change in recent years been release of Occupation files that updates
the occupation history, and nothing has been done to update.
Overall Occupation Remembrance remains confused and ad hoc.
Major groups without any Remembrance - Shocking.
Errors in the past regarding Remembrance with Islander names Removed off Memorials. Poor practices.
We are requesting that existing memorialisation is reviewed, rationalised and brought up to date and that none of the victim groups are left out, in order to achieve universal memorialisation and to ensure that key facts are physically represented in the public space. We also request that stake-holder groups are involved in any process, such as for the Jewish community and those representing the Spanish Republicans ( who are taking a renewed interest in their CI history. )
Aim of Campaign is Universal Remembrance with Universal Memorial for all Occupation Groups, All victims of Nazi Germany.
Never been a commissioned Universal Memorial for the Occupation population as a whole. Other major British WW2 Memorials have long been built .
Occupation victims and families have been let down or disregarded.