Insel Soldaten
Encyclopedia
Insel Soldaten is a Living history
group based in Jersey
, in the Channel Islands
, which aims to reconstruct the lives of the ordinary German
soldier based in Jersey during the German Occupation
of 1940-45 (the name is German
for Island Soldiers). It is one of three re-enactment groups in Jersey, the others being the 15th century 'Company of the Duke's Leopards' and the 18th century '1781 Militia'.
Neither Society excludes members of the other.
or small encampments), school visits and work with various organisations such as the Cubs
. They have also assisted with various film projects in the form of advice, equipment and cast, including work for the BBC
.
Although the unit is based primarily in Jersey, membership is international. There are currently around ten members, of which about a half dozen are uniformed. Uniformed members are encouraged to create a fictional soldat to portray at events. In order to provide the greatest degree of authenticity the group uses either original or meticulously accurate reproduction uniforms and equipment, and strives to copy authentic haircuts, mannerisms and so on through research and under advice from experts including Wehrmacht
veterans.
As with all Wehrmacht re-enactment groups, the focus is purely on the military aspects. Any promotion or glorification of the politics of the Nazis
is strictly forbidden, as is the use of the Hitler salute
. This does not conflict with their aim for accuracy, as the attitude of the Channel Islands garrison to the ideals of their political masters was frequently apathetic at best.
, Organisation Todt
or Gestapo
). However, they focus on two of the many units based in the Channel Islands.
, the German plan to close the Strait of Gibraltar
to British use. MAA 604 was created in November/December 1940, from personnel drawn from various naval artillery units, to play a lead role. However, objections from General Franco
to the planned German occupation of Gibraltar
led to the cancellation of Operation Felix. MAA 604 was instead sent to the Hook of Holland where from January to March 1941 it manned an elderly pair of captured French railway guns. In March 1941 Hitler
ordered the fortification of the Channel Islands and MAA 604 were transferred to various locations in the territories. 3./Batterie (the 3rd Battery), the only Naval Artillery unit in Jersey, was stationed at Noirmont in Saint Brelade
. There it took command of Batterie Lothringen, a series of bunkers based around three (later four) 150mm naval guns. Lothringen personnel also undertook a tour of duty at Batterie Elsas in Alderney
, from June to October 1941. Batterie Lothringen saw action harrying allied shipping and defending convoys – particularly following D-Day
– and fending off occasional Allied air attacks, but otherwise passed the war relatively peacefully. Although part of the Kriegsmarine
, the unit was uniformed and organised in a manner almost identical to that of the Army. MAA 604 was broken up at the end of the war, though Batterie Lothringen has been restored and is open to the public.
Battalion) was formed in March 1940 as a Frontier Guard unit, to man machine gun positions in the Eifel
district on the German-Belgian
border. Recruits to the unit tended to be of a higher age than normal, and were nicknamed the “country bumpkins”.
As part of the 1st Cavalry Division, MG Btl. 16 first saw action on 10 May 1940 during the invasion of France
. In August that year it was transferred to 216 Infantry Division and stationed in Guernsey. On 1 May 1941 it was again transferred, this time to 319 Infantry Division, and moved to Jersey where it remained for the rest of the war. The unit was given control of Defence Sector West, manning various positions along the west coast and inland including Strongpoint Corbiere, where Insel Soldaten hold some of their displays. Although various plans for the recapture of the Channel Islands were drawn up by the Allies, they were never put into action, and the Liberation was ultimately a peaceful affair. Consequently MG Btl. 16 never saw action against the enemy during its time in the Islands. Sections of Strongpoint Corbiere are undergoing restoration and are open to the public.
, following publication of a tongue-in-cheek
photo of Insel Soldaten riding on a miniature railway
at a fête in Saint Clement
, where they were one of a series of military-themed displays. Paula Thelwell, organiser of Holocaust Memorial Day, described it as an "inappropriate contribution to a village fete".
Nevertheless, the group has received positive public reaction. This includes responses from sections of society which might be most expected to be offended; veterans of both the Allied and Axis forces, as well as members of the public who lived in the Island during the Occupation, have praised the group for keeping the memory of the period alive. Insel Soldaten have also received interest and support from Polish
and Jewish visitors, in addition to approval from other locals and visitors of various backgrounds. In August 2007 they received a letter from Lieutenant General Andrew Ridgway
, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
, commending the group for their educational work.
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
group based in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, which aims to reconstruct the lives of the ordinary German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soldier based in Jersey during the German Occupation
Occupation of the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
of 1940-45 (the name is German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for Island Soldiers). It is one of three re-enactment groups in Jersey, the others being the 15th century 'Company of the Duke's Leopards' and the 18th century '1781 Militia'.
Origin
The group was set up in September 2005. Initially it was intended that Insel Soldaten should provide costumed interpreters for the restored German fortifications under the care of the Jersey branch of the Channel Islands Occupation Society; however, opinion was divided over this in the CIOS, and in March 2006 it voted, in accordance with the Rules of the Channel Islands Occupation Society, to disassociate itself from all forms of uniformed WWII living history. Insel Soldaten thus became fully autonomous, and remains so to this day.Neither Society excludes members of the other.
Nature and purpose
Insel Soldaten works as a living history and re-enactment group, describing itself as being “dedicated to the accurate portrayal of the ‘average’ conscripted German soldier of World War Two who would have been stationed in Jersey”. Unlike many similar units they do not take part in mock combat, as there were no land battles in the Channel Islands during the Occupation. Their role is primarily educational, and is put into practice through the medium of static displays (either at sites such as the machine-gun emplacement at La CorbièreLa Corbière
La Corbière is the extreme south-western point of Jersey in St. Brelade. The name means "a place where crows gather", deriving from the word corbîn meaning crow...
or small encampments), school visits and work with various organisations such as the Cubs
Cub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
. They have also assisted with various film projects in the form of advice, equipment and cast, including work for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Although the unit is based primarily in Jersey, membership is international. There are currently around ten members, of which about a half dozen are uniformed. Uniformed members are encouraged to create a fictional soldat to portray at events. In order to provide the greatest degree of authenticity the group uses either original or meticulously accurate reproduction uniforms and equipment, and strives to copy authentic haircuts, mannerisms and so on through research and under advice from experts including Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
veterans.
As with all Wehrmacht re-enactment groups, the focus is purely on the military aspects. Any promotion or glorification of the politics of the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
is strictly forbidden, as is the use of the Hitler salute
Hitler salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
. This does not conflict with their aim for accuracy, as the attitude of the Channel Islands garrison to the ideals of their political masters was frequently apathetic at best.
Units portrayed
Insel Soldaten has the capability to reconstruct most branches of the German military (although for reasons of ethics and authenticity they do not portray overtly political organisations such as the Waffen-SSWaffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, Organisation Todt
Organisation Todt
The Todt Organisation, was a Third Reich civil and military engineering group in Germany named after its founder, Fritz Todt, an engineer and senior Nazi figure...
or Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
). However, they focus on two of the many units based in the Channel Islands.
3./Batterie, MAA 604
Marine Artillerie Abteilung (MAA) 604 (604th Naval Artillery Battalion) emerged from Operation FelixOperation Felix
Operation Felix was the codename for a proposed German seizure of Gibraltar during World War II. It never got beyond the staff study stage, even though planning continued into 1944, primarily because of Francisco Franco's reluctance to commit Spain to enter the war on the Axis...
, the German plan to close the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
to British use. MAA 604 was created in November/December 1940, from personnel drawn from various naval artillery units, to play a lead role. However, objections from General Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
to the planned German occupation of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
led to the cancellation of Operation Felix. MAA 604 was instead sent to the Hook of Holland where from January to March 1941 it manned an elderly pair of captured French railway guns. In March 1941 Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
ordered the fortification of the Channel Islands and MAA 604 were transferred to various locations in the territories. 3./Batterie (the 3rd Battery), the only Naval Artillery unit in Jersey, was stationed at Noirmont in Saint Brelade
Saint Brélade, Jersey
Saint Brélade is one of the twelve parishes of the Bailiwick of Jersey. Its population is around 9,560, and it occupies the southwestern part of the island. It is the only parish to border only one other parish, St. Peter...
. There it took command of Batterie Lothringen, a series of bunkers based around three (later four) 150mm naval guns. Lothringen personnel also undertook a tour of duty at Batterie Elsas in Alderney
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
, from June to October 1941. Batterie Lothringen saw action harrying allied shipping and defending convoys – particularly following D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
– and fending off occasional Allied air attacks, but otherwise passed the war relatively peacefully. Although part of the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
, the unit was uniformed and organised in a manner almost identical to that of the Army. MAA 604 was broken up at the end of the war, though Batterie Lothringen has been restored and is open to the public.
2./Kompanie, MG Btl. 16
Maschinengewehr-Bataillon 16 (16th Machine GunMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
Battalion) was formed in March 1940 as a Frontier Guard unit, to man machine gun positions in the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
district on the German-Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border. Recruits to the unit tended to be of a higher age than normal, and were nicknamed the “country bumpkins”.
As part of the 1st Cavalry Division, MG Btl. 16 first saw action on 10 May 1940 during the invasion of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In August that year it was transferred to 216 Infantry Division and stationed in Guernsey. On 1 May 1941 it was again transferred, this time to 319 Infantry Division, and moved to Jersey where it remained for the rest of the war. The unit was given control of Defence Sector West, manning various positions along the west coast and inland including Strongpoint Corbiere, where Insel Soldaten hold some of their displays. Although various plans for the recapture of the Channel Islands were drawn up by the Allies, they were never put into action, and the Liberation was ultimately a peaceful affair. Consequently MG Btl. 16 never saw action against the enemy during its time in the Islands. Sections of Strongpoint Corbiere are undergoing restoration and are open to the public.
Public reaction
Given that the Occupation is still perceived as a sensitive subject in Jersey, and especially among the generation that have personal memories of the period, portraying enemy troops was a risk. In September 2007 articles and letters criticising Insel Soldaten were published in the Jersey Evening PostJersey Evening Post
The Jersey Evening Post is a regional newspaper published six days a week in the Bailiwick of Jersey. It was printed in broadsheet format for 87 years, though it is now of compact size. Its motto is: "At the heart of island life".-History:The Evening Post was founded in 1890 by H.P...
, following publication of a tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
photo of Insel Soldaten riding on a miniature railway
Ridable miniature railway
A ridable miniature railway is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives .-Overview:Typically they have a rail track gauge between and , though both larger and...
at a fête in Saint Clement
Saint Clement, Jersey
Saint Clement is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the south east of the Island, and contains some of the suburbs of Saint Helier. It is the smallest parish by surface area, but the second most densely populated. St...
, where they were one of a series of military-themed displays. Paula Thelwell, organiser of Holocaust Memorial Day, described it as an "inappropriate contribution to a village fete".
Nevertheless, the group has received positive public reaction. This includes responses from sections of society which might be most expected to be offended; veterans of both the Allied and Axis forces, as well as members of the public who lived in the Island during the Occupation, have praised the group for keeping the memory of the period alive. Insel Soldaten have also received interest and support from Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Jewish visitors, in addition to approval from other locals and visitors of various backgrounds. In August 2007 they received a letter from Lieutenant General Andrew Ridgway
Andrew Ridgway
Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Peter Ridgway KBE CB is a former Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. He was appointed to the role for a 5 year term on 14 June 2006 after a long military career.-Military career:...
, the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
The Lieutenant Governor of Jersey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Jersey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown....
, commending the group for their educational work.
Related and similar units
- ‘Kriegsmarine Küstenabteilung Atlantik’ (KKA) is an umbrella organisation for re-enactors of German Naval Coastal Artillery units, including Insel Soldaten.
- ‘The Guernsey Military Re-enactors’ are a similar group, portraying soldiers from a German Grenadier regiment stationed in GuernseyGuernseyGuernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
.
See also
- Living historyLiving historyLiving history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
- Historical reenactmentHistorical reenactmentHistorical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
- Occupation of the Channel IslandsOccupation of the Channel IslandsThe Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
- Wehrmacht Heer
- KriegsmarineKriegsmarineThe Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...