Liberation Day for Guernsey Deportees
23 April is St George’s Day. It is also Liberation Day for the 1,003 men, women and children who had been deported from Guernsey and Sark to Biberach in southern Germany, in 1942/43, when Camp Lindele was liberated by Allied Forces, 78 years ago today. A small commemorative service of remembrance was held earlier today at the White Rock, organised by Jill Chubb (Chairperson of the Guernsey Deportees Association) and led by the Catholic Dean of Guernsey, Canon Chris Rutledge. At the same time, in Biberach, Baden-Wurttemberg, there was an unveiling of a special sculpture in the grounds of Lager Lindele, called ‘Der Schrei’ (‘The Scream’), by acclaimed German artist, Robert Shad, in the presence of Guernsey’s Bailiff, Richard McMahon
There was also a special signing ceremony for a letter of intent to cover the twinning agreement between Biberach and Guernsey, with States of Guernsey Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq and the Mayor of Biberach, Norbert Zeidler.
Chairperson of the Biberach Friends of Guernsey, Helga Reiser, commented,
“We had a memorable weekend with the celebration of the 78th anniversary of liberation Camp Lager Lindele. On Friday we visited Ochsenhausen and attended a concert there at the Baroque Library Hall. On Saturday the delegation from Guernsey, officials of the town of Biberach and members of the Biberach Friends of Guernsey visited the graves at both cemeteries, said prayers and laid flowers.
The most emotional moment was the signing of a letter of intent which will lead to a formal twinning between Guernsey and Biberach. And also the unveiling of a memorial for all people who suffered in the camp during WWII.
Between the speeches of the Bailiff and the Vice President of the Parliament of Baden-Wuerttemberg I was pleased to read the greetings from Jill Chubb on behalf of the Guernsey Deportees Association.”
