UK Guernsey- German Occupation Museum
A view of the entrance to the German Occupation Museum with WWII artifacts .Read our blog post
JAB Past & Present.53. Forest ~ Guernsey. WW2 German Occupation Museum.
Several people told me this is a very popular museum. Not until you get inside you realise just how many things is in there.
German Occupation Museum, Guernsey
Forever Remembered
During World War 2 the Channels Islands were occupied by German forces, and only saved from starvation through the intervention of the Red Cross, who sent supplies on the SS Vega.
1942 German WW2 BUNKERS & Coastal Defences - INSIDE: Marinepeilstanden L’Angle MP4 Atlantic Wall
One of the most Famous WW2 German Bunkers ever built ! - We go deep inside and explore what it was like inside - the huge reinforced concrete fortress. ( Read more Below)
Marinepeilstanden - L’Angle MP4 Naval (Kriegsmarine) Range & Direction Bunker
Clips from recent film trip to Guernsey July 2018 for research and mapping the area & details maps in the making of our film we are producing.
A bit of History of what Happened:
Early in June 1940 The Germans did not realise that the islands had been demilitarised and they approached them with caution.
Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Luftwaffe Reconnaissance flights were inconclusive !
On 28th June 1940, they sent a squadron of Junkers Ju 87 Luftwaffe bombers over the islands and bombed the harbours of Guernsey and Jersey.
In St. Peter Port, the main town of Guernsey, had some lorries lined up to loaded with tomatoes for export to England and were mistaken by the reconnaissance flights for troop carriers.
A similar attack occurred in Jersey where 9 died.
In total, 44 islanders were killed in the raids.
The BBC broadcast a belated message that the islands had been declared open towns and later in the day reported the German bombing of the island.
While the Wehrmacht was preparing Operation Grünpfeil (Green Arrow), a planned invasion of the islands with assault troops comprising 2 battalions, a reconnaissance pilot, Hauptmann Liebe-Pieteritz, made a test landing at Guernsey's deserted airfield on 30th June 1940 to determine the level of defence.
He reported his brief landing to Luftflotte which came to the decision that the islands were not defended at all !
30th June 1940
A platoon of Luftwaffe airmen was flown that evening to Guernsey by Junkers transport planes. ( Junkers Ju 52 )
Inspector Sculpher of the Guernsey police went to the airport carrying a letter signed by the bailiff stating that This Island has been declared an Open Island by His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom.
There are no armed forces of any description. The bearer has been instructed to hand this communication to you. He does not understand the German language.
He found that the airport had been taken over by the Luftwaffe.
The senior German officer, Major Albrecht Lanz, asked to be taken to the island's chief man.
They went by police car to the Royal Hotel where they were joined by the bailiff, the president of the controlling committee, and other officials. Lanz announced through an interpreter that Guernsey was now under German occupation. In this way the Luftwaffe pre-empted the Wehrmacht's invasion plans.
Jersey surrendered on 1 July 1940.
Alderney, where only a handful of islanders remained, was occupied on 2 July and a small detachment travelled from Guernsey to Sark, which surrendered on 4 July 1940.
The first shipborne German troops consisting of two anti-aircraft units, arrived in St. Peter Port on the captured freighter SS Holland on 14 July 1940.
The German forces quickly consolidated their positions.
They brought in infantry, established communications and anti-aircraft defences, established an air service with occupied mainland France, and rounded up British servicemen on leave.
The Channel Islands were amongst the most heavily fortified parts of the Atlantic Wall, particularly Alderney which is the closest to France.
On 20th October 1941 Hitler signed a directive, against the advice of Commander-in-Chief von Witzleben, to turn the Channel Islands into an impregnable fortress.
In the course of 1942, one twelfth of the resources funnelled into the whole Atlantic Wall was dedicated to the fortification of the Channel Islands.
Hitler had decreed that 10% of the steel and concrete used in the Atlantic Wall go to the Channel Islands.
It is often said the Channel Islands were better defended than the Normandy beaches, given the large number of tunnels and bunkers around the islands.
By 1944 in tunneling alone, 244,000 cubic metres (8,600,000 cu ft) of rock had been extracted collectively from Guernsey, Jersey, and Alderney (the majority from Jersey).
At the same point in 1944 the entire Atlantic Wall from Norway to the Franco-Spanish border, excluding the Channel Islands, had extracted some 225,000 cubic metres (7,900,000 cu ft)
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beek eye witness museum
Museum eye witness
Beek (L)
2014
Secret Nuclear Bunkers UK
Until 1991, Britain had an excellent system of nuclear attack monitoring and reporting based upon over 1,500 small bunkers spread across the entire nation. Many still exist today, in a derelict and forgotten condition, and after spotting one in a field I decided to explore this disturbing subject in more detail. Enjoy.
1945 Guernsey news
This is the liberation of the Channel islands
Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands
BBC Inside Out south west, November 2015.
GUERNSEY (Channel Islands): EXPLORING the WW2 historic German Nazi fortifications
SUBSCRIBE: - A tour of the German fortifications of Guernsey, my intro (Channel Islands).
Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands in the English Channel near the French coast, and is a self-governing British Crown dependency. It's known for beach resorts like Cobo Bay and the scenery of its coastal cliffs. Castle Cornet, a 13th-century harbor fortification in the capital of St. Peter Port, now contains history and military museums. Hauteville House is the lavish former home of French writer, Victor Hugo.
#VicStefanu
Vic Stefanu, vstefanu@yahoo.com. For PART 2, see clips from this magnificent site, played along with Kraftwerk's music from Das Boot here:
1941-1944. German occupation in Riga
More history of Riga, Latvia at virtualriga.com
American History - Part 154 - Wilson - WWI - Germany surprise attacks - Germany surrenders
The leader of American forces in Europe was General John J. Pershing. General Pershing used a weapon new to the world of air power.
Airplanes were used first simply as 'eyes in the sky'. They discovered enemy positions so ground artillery could fire at them. Then they were used as fighter planes. They carried guns to shoot down other planes. Finally, planes were built big enough to carry bombs.
General Pershing also used another new weapon of tanks. He put these inventions together for his battle plan against Germany.
Pershing's target was the Argonne Forest. It was a tree-covered area Germany had held since 1914.
The forest was protected by barbed wire and by defensive positions built of steel and concrete. It was the strongest part of the German line. It also was the most important part. If Argonne fell, Germany's final lines of defense would fall.
The fighting in the Argonne Forest was fierce. Thousands of men died. Sometimes, troops got lost because the forest was so thick with trees. But day by day, the Allies pushed the Germans back.
Germany's leaders were losing hope
By this time, in early November, the situation in Germany was growing worse. Communists and Socialists were calling for a rebellion. The Navy was ordered to go to sea. Sailors refused, and killed some officers. Reports told of rebellion in parts of the German army, too.
The nation's leaders had no choice. They would negotiate a peace treaty. On the morning of November eighth, a German delegation went to Allied military headquarters to discuss terms.
The Germans were met by the Supreme Allied Commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France. Foch greeted them coldly. And he did not offer peace terms until they officially asked for a ceasefire. Germany -- not the Allies -- had to put down its weapons first.
The Germans were shocked when they heard the terms. The list was severe.
Among other things, Germany must withdraw its forces from all occupied territories. It must give up Alsace-Lorraine, a part of France it had held for almost 50 years. It must give up most of its weapons including airplanes, submarines, and battleships. And it must turn over large numbers of trucks, railroad engines, and other supplies.
The German delegation said it could not sign such an agreement. Germany, it said, was not surrendering. It was only asking for a ceasefire. The delegation said it could not accept the peace terms without communicating with the government in Berlin.
But the German government was falling apart. Kaiser Wilhelm had finally resigned and left the country. A new cabinet had been formed. And a new Prime Minister had declared a German Republic. Yet the situation remained unsettled.
Because of this, the German delegation negotiating with the Allies had to decide for itself. After much argument, the men agreed to the Allied terms. They signed the peace treaty. A ceasefire began a few hours later.
News that the shooting had stopped set off wild celebrations throughout the world. People danced in the streets. They cheered the end of the worst war in history.
There were celebrations along the battle lines, too. But these were quiet. Soldiers from both sides climbed out of long trenches dug in the ground. They met the men who, a short while earlier, had been their deadly enemy.
The bloody European conflict was over. The dispute, however, was not. Another fierce battle was ready to begin. This time, the battle would be among diplomats. The fight over the peace treaty officially ending World War One was about to begin.
That will be our story next week.
Battle for The Rhineland PART 3 Documentary – Operation Blockbuster – Final Moves
The final offensive, Operation Blockbuster, was launched in still appalling conditions and at the Germans’ strongest positions but it fared little better than Op Veritable. Finally, the pressure told and the Germans were forced to make an orderly withdrawal across the Rhine. The film ends with a discussion between two serving officers, 1 British, 1 German, members of a Rhineland Battle Study Group. They raise matters of particular relevance to the conduct of warfare in the North West European Theatre today.
© 1984
This production is for viewing purposes only and should not be reproduced without prior consent.
This film is part of a comprehensive collection of contemporary Military Training programmes and supporting documentation including scripts, storyboards and cue sheets.
All material is stored and archived. World War II and post-war material along with all original film material is held by the Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive.
Nazi Time Capsule Berlin Bunker
The discovery of an intact, untouched WW2-era bunker in 1990 from the Battle of Berlin was news, but even more incredibly it was the Driver's Bunker, part of the Reich Chancellery complex close to Hitler's personal bunker. What was found inside was truly astounding.
This is a re-upload of one of my Battle of Berlin videos from 2018.
The city of Antwerp in Belgium and the Netherlands, during World War Two - Film 3179
The city of Antwerp in Belgium and the Netherlands, during World War Two
Radio reports overtake of Brussels and of Antwerp. Liberation of Antwerp. Docks of Antwerp - docks and harbour. Dramatised German officers discussing why Antwerp is strategically important. Soldiers discusses problems of taking Antwerp. Bombing of Antwerp. Army briefing on taking of the city. Problems of taking Holland. Leopold Canal. Trucks through the Netherlands countryside. The battle. Flame-thrower. Aerial view of the canal - attempts to bridge it. Canadian troops in landing craft. Smoke screen is laid in. German prisoners. Refugees. Abandoned German dug outs. Windmill. People around the ruins. Re-tiling a roof. Sign: 'Antwerpen 16 km.' 2nd Canadian Division, tanks. Mine detecting. Close up of mine metal detector moving from side to side. Three soldiers inch along a road with the detector. One of them then writes on a sign saying 'Verges checked'. Sign: 'Dutch Frontiers'. Flooded scenery. Firing artillery. Engineers work on bridges, tanks across bridges. British burial ceremony. The King George V visits the front. Crossing the Skelt. Prisoners. 'Vulcan' Island under water. They have to cross a mile long causeway. Brestken. Aerial view of Flushing. Belgium and Norwegian divisions - free divisions. Weather. The battle. Sea battle. Soldiers wade ashore, through ruins and explosions. Street fighting. German's with white flag of surrender and their hands up. Large building on fire. Six days of fighting. German commander who surrenders. Dutch flag on building. Good shot of spiky sea mine. Royal Navy mine sweepers at work. Two men in a dinghy tow a sea mine with spikes. Dutch people wave at a battleship. German mosquito boats. Speed boats attack convoys. Arden Forest. Convoys to smashed Europe. 28 miles of docks - supplies to Europe.
WWII: Cherbourg Liberated - 1944 | Today in History | 27 June 16
On June 27, 1944, the Allies captured the fortified town and port of Cherbourg, in northwest France, freeing it from German occupation.
The Cherbourg Peninsular has been liberated after fierce fighting. Close co-operation between all forces has been a great factor in our success.
You can license this story through AP Archive:
Find out more about AP Archive:
Battle of Cambrai: Through Mud and Blood
Through Mud and Blood: Set in 1918, during the Battle of cambrai, British tanks must push Through the strategic German defensive positions to reach the French town of Cambrai. The British Army with the help of their tanks, take German occupied territory while destroying their artillery, soon after they had to push through the Argon Forest to reach the German railway then proceeded to Cambrai. A month after the offensive, the Allied forces had put an end to the Great War.
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Denmark in World War 2 | The Danish Resistance | Documentary Short | 1944
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This World War 2 era short film – originally titled as Denmark Fights for Freedom – documents the struggle of the Danish resistance movement against their German occupiers during the period 1943-1944. It was released in 1944.
According to the statement in the intro, the scenes were surreptitiously shot under the most dangerous conditions and smuggled out of the country during the German occupation. It is a dramatic story of how a spirited nation pulled together to fight oppression through acts of sabotage and mass civil disobedience. Inspirational!
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND / CONTEXT
Denmark in World War 2:
During most of World War 2, Denmark was first a protectorate, then an occupied territory under Germany. The decision to invade Denmark was taken in Berlin on 17 December 1939. On 9 April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark in Operation Weserübung and established a de facto protectorate over the country. On 29 August 1943 Germany placed Denmark under direct military occupation, which lasted until the Allied victory on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish institutions continued to function relatively normally until 1945. Both the Danish government and King Christian X remained in the country in an uneasy relationship between a democratic and a totalitarian system until the Danish government stepped down in a protest against the German demands to institute the death penalty for sabotage.
Danish resistance movement:
The Danish resistance movement (Danish: Modstandsbevægelsen) was an underground insurgency to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War 2. Due to the initially lenient arrangements, in which the German occupation authority allowed the democratic government to stay in power, the resistance movement was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale than in some other countries.
By 1943, many Danes were involved in underground activities, ranging from producing illegal publications to spying and sabotage. Major groups included the communist BOPA (Danish: Borgerlige Partisaner, Civil Partisans) and Holger Danske, both based in Copenhagen. Resistance agents eliminated an estimated 400 Danish collaborators and informers until 1944.
In the postwar period, the Resistance was supported by politicians within Denmark and there was little effort to closely examine the killings. Studies were made in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and people learned that there was sometimes improvised and contingent decision-making about the targets, with some morally ambiguous choices. Several important books and films have been produced on this topic.
Denmark in World War 2 | The Danish Resistance | Documentary Short | 1944
TBFA_0146 (DM_0075)
NOTE: THE VIDEO DOCUMENTS HISTORICAL EVENTS. SINCE IT WAS PRODUCED DECADES AGO, IT HAS HISTORICAL VALUES AND CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. THE VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED WITH EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. ITS TOPIC IS REPRESENTED WITHIN HISTORICAL CONTEXT. THE VIDEO DOES NOT CONTAIN SENSITIVE SCENES AT ALL!
2012 Rails to Victory - Occupied France Trolley Adventure
It is occupied France, June 1944, just after the landings of D-Day when French Partisans rose up to destroy rail bridges, cut telephone wires and generally disrupt the German rear lines to ease the advance of the Allies. Each day, in addition to the Museums regular trolley runs, the public is invited to ride special excursion tours which will recreate the European Inter-urban rail service that ran between Paris and Rouen, France, along the Seine River during the Summer of 1944. Passengers will board at Castlemuir Depot (Paris St. Lazare Station) and be required to present their French ID papers to the German Reichsbahn Railroad Conductors. During the hour long round trip journey on the museums 3 miles of track to Duerr Forest Preserve and back, passengers will experience period WW2 French Civilians sharing the ride with them, French Partisans, German and American Allied Military Patrols and skirmishes, and Secret British SOE Spy Operations.
The Occupied France Trolley Adventure is an immersive performance presented by WW2 Actors portraying historical characters from the war and will put passengers right into the action. Passengers will view and experience small performance stops along the trolleys route recreating a variety of scenarios that played out in occupied France during the war. Passengers should be prepared to play along with the actors to fully enjoy the experience.
A Young German Soldier Killed at the Front far from home in 1944 - Personal Documents
I decided to share these interesting personal documents with you!
This is a small documentary, about a young German soldier that was killed, far from home, in Talnoje ( Ukraine ) in 1944.
I hope you like the video! :)
BTW.. März is March.. not May.. i wasn't paying attention.. ;)
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