Eighty years ago, on May 9th, 1945, British forces arrived to liberate the Channel Island of Jersey, the only part of the British Isles under Nazi occupation. Now, on the 80th anniversary of that day, Dan Snow travels to the island to explore the five long, challenging years of German rule. He discovers how this once-peaceful island was transformed by the Germans into an impregnable fortress, part of Hitler's Atlantic Wall, built under horrific conditions by thousands of forced slave labourers.
Amidst the hardship, Dan reveals astonishing stories of public and secret defiance that flickered in the darkness. He learns of the courage of islanders who risked death, such as Dorothea Weber née Le Brocq who sheltered Hedwig Bercu, a Jewish woman, in her home for 18 months.
Dan's journey ends at Jersey’s impactful Liberation Day celebrations, he reveals how this extraordinary period forged the island's unique identity and learns why, even 80 years on, the memory of the occupation and the joy of liberation has never faded.
This episode was made in collaboration with Visit Jersey. You can find more information on all the places Dan visits in this episode here:
Visit Jersey: https://www.jersey.com/
Jersey Heritage: https://www.jerseyheritage.org/
Jersey War Tours: https://www.jerseybunkertours.com/
Jersey War Tunnels: https://www.jerseywartunnels.com/
ArtHouse Jersey 'Structures & Memory' Exhibition: https://www.arthousejersey.je/our-work/structures-memory-a-place-called-wurzach
Enjoyed this and want to know more? Listen to Dan Snow's History Hit's podcast all about the Occupation and Liberation:
https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/the-nazi-occupation-of-jersey
Up Next in Maritime Stories
-
Shipwreck! Northumberland and the Gre...
History Hit's Dan Snow has been given exclusive access to the incredibly well-preserved remains of the 18th-century warship Northumberland.
Complete with cannons, muskets and coils of rope, it's a discovery that's rewriting our understanding of the evolution of the Royal Navy.
The special fil...
-
Captain Cook's Endeavour
Captain James Cook is one of the greatest maritime navigators in history. Born in 1728 to a Scottish father and English mother, Cook grew up in Yorkshire and soon developed a great fascination with the sea and exploration. In 1746 Cook joined the merchant shipping industry when he moved to the ne...
-
Britain's Historic Isles: The Isles o...
In this third episode, Dan and Conrad conclude their epic expedition around the Isles of Scilly. Travelling on board Conrad’s historic boat ‘Bounty’s End’, they explore the impressive defences that line the islands’ coastlines that made them almost impregnable - guarding the Atlantic approaches.
...
3 Comments