German Occupation
The Occupation of Jersey by German Forces during the Second World War commenced on the 1 July 1940. The Occupation was to last for nearly five years and eventually ended on the 9 May 1945 – Liberation Day. The Occupation remains one of the most fascinating periods in Jersey's recent history.
The United Kingdom government provided ships to evacuate women, children and men who wished to join the forces when it seemed that Occupation was inevitable. Though just over 23,000 registered to evacuate, the total number of Jersey residents who actually evacuated was under 10,000.
A number of United Kingdom and some Jersey born residents of the Channel Islands were deported to internment camps at Biberach, Wurzach, Dorsten and Laufen in Germany. Hitler originally conceived this measure as a reprisal for the internment of German citizens in Iran working against the Allies. The Führer also considered United Kingdom-born residents as a security threat.