German Occupation Buildings - Channel Islands

[jerseyboi]

Germany invaded the Channel Islands during the 2nd world war
and built may fortifications around the islands

Today they are a reminder of the occupation and were built by Slave workers.
Germans did not use the islanders to build the buildings.

Germany brought in Slave workers from Russia Poland and Slavic Nations to build them.



Fort Saumarez Observation Tower near Lihou



German Observation Tower on south coast cliffs



German underground hospital Jersey
See>
http://www.jerseywartunnels.com/



Many of the fortifications are now protected but after the war
many where removed.

See http://festungjerseymilitaria.com/c_..._museum_1.html

See - Good website.

http://www.ciosjersey.org.uk/

[Suburbanist]

shouldn't they remove more of them? I think most countries wouldn't like to keep signs of a foreign occupation in a context as harsh albeit short-lived like WW2.

[jerseyboi]

No they are part of our history - Tourist like to visit them - thousands died to build them, also hundreds of them! Hard to remove because they are designed for bombing.

[jerseyboi]

German Underground Hospital - Guernsey

[jerseyboi]

Vale Mill - Guernsey - Germans removed the top( was a mill ) and replaced it
as it is today. Observation Tower .

Hitler did not want the Islands to be returned to UK -So hundreds
of buildings across the islands were constructed.



German directional finding tower at Pleinmont - Guernsey.

[jerseyboi]

Germans left many items as well - remain in museums
Each of islands has a Occupation museum.

[jerseyboi]

Liberation Monument commemorating the islands freedom May 9th 1945 ( Guernsey )

The point ( points to sky where to the first Bombs fell from ) When Guernsey's
Capital was bombed. The island's had not any military defence forces.

The above shows first place of the boming.

Both Jersey and Guernsey have Liberation Squares today.

[il fenomeno]

some of the towers look quite appealing, like modern villas.

[miau]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

shouldn't they remove more of them? I think most countries wouldn't like to keep signs of a foreign occupation in a context as harsh albeit short-lived like WW2.

It is Deutsche Wertarbeit, nearly impossible to demolish.

[jerseyboi]

Originally Posted by miau

It is Deutsche Wertarbeit, nearly impossible to demolish.

After Liberation the British Army began to remove them.
However so many Slave workers died building them - it was decided
to keep them and remind everyone of the horror of conflict.

They have a simular look about them.

Today some have a new use as below

[Taller, Better]

Great pics... I agree, do not remove them. Keep them as a reminder of the past. It is pointless forgetting history, or we are doomed to repeat it.

[Dr.Mabuse]

Originally Posted by jerseyboi

German Underground Hospital - Guernsey

that's a cool looking pic. i like it

[3tmk]

Fascinating. I knew they were in control of the islands all the way to the end of the war, but not that they were fortified!
Although I should have expected it, these were important locales preceding the coast.