administrators on the Islands were concerned were a period of surprisingly good relations. Ambrose Sherwill, in his Radio Bremen broadcast on 8 August 1940, said 'The Lieutenant-Governor and Bailiff, Mr Victor Carey, and every other Island official has been, and is being treated, with every consideration and with the greatest courtesy by the German military authorities ..."
Speaking to the states later he said 'May this occupation be a model to the world - on one hand tolerance on the part of the military authority and courtesy and correctness on the part of the occupying forces, and on the other, dignity and courtesy and exemplary behaviour on the part of the civilian population; perfect obedience to law and order, conformity - the strictest conformity - with blackout regulations and with orders and regulations issued by the German commandant and the civil authorities.'
The Germans stated that if good relations continued, 'the life and property of the population will be respected and guaranteed'. They broke their side of the bargain, but the Island governments kept theirs.
On 9 August 1940 the military government of the Channel Islands was established. It consisted of two parts: a military organization for civilian affairs, and an occupation garrison under military command. The administration came under the military government of France run from St Germain by Otto and, from January 1942, Heinrich-Karl von Stulpnagel. The Islands were part of District A, Departement de La Ma nche, headed by General Schreibe r, and were run by Feldkommandantur 515, formed in Munich, which had seen service in Luxemburg, before transferring to the Channel Islands. Their headquarters were in Victoria College House on Jersey while day-to-day business on the Island was handled from offices in the town hall in York Street, St Helier. On Guernsey their headquarters were at Grange Lodge Hotel, and their St Peter Port office was in the Islands Hotel (now the Savoy). Although there were arguments about jurisdiction, and an external enquiry, the structure remained unchanged until 19 May 1944 when the administration's status was reduced to that of Platzkommandantur (PKI), and the final appeal in the courts was transferred to the military.
The first Feldkommandant was Major Friedrich Schumacher, an elderly, portly man, who was in the Islands for a year before he was replaced in October 1941 by Major Fricdrich Knackfuss. He left in February 1944, and was replaced by Major I.V. Hcider who became Platzkommandant and remained in that position until February 1945 when a shake-up took place in the personnel of the occupation government. The branch or nebenstelle in Guernsey was run by Major Kratzer, and two Sonderfuhrer (a title with no precise equivalent in English) were responsible for Alderney and an outpost at Granville handling economic and shipping matters. Alderney was brought into the administrative structure in 1941, wit h the appointment of SF Heinz He rzog who established his headquarters in Lloyd's Bank in Victoria Street, St Anne.
There is general agreement that in spite of harsh orders and violations of the Hague Convention which FK515 administrators were required to issue, their conduct of affairs was often intelligent and sympathetic. The
Fcldkommandants could act severely. Schumacher ordered sixty Guernsey Islanders to patrol telephone wires at night for a fortnight after there had been a minor case of sabotage. Knackfuss arrested ten Jersey citizens as possible hostages when a seditious news sheet was produced. But in France there would have been shootings. Schumacher and the Military Commander had early shown in the case of Nicolle and Symes they wished to handle matters their way in the Islands and using the excuse that they had given their words as officers they overruled St Germain and prevented the execution of the two men. Knackfuss strongly objected to the deportation orders in 1942. but he could not defy a direct F ü hrer
Speaking to the states later he said 'May this occupation be a model to the world - on one hand tolerance on the part of the military authority and courtesy and correctness on the part of the occupying forces, and on the other, dignity and courtesy and exemplary behaviour on the part of the civilian population; perfect obedience to law and order, conformity - the strictest conformity - with blackout regulations and with orders and regulations issued by the German commandant and the civil authorities.'
The Germans stated that if good relations continued, 'the life and property of the population will be respected and guaranteed'. They broke their side of the bargain, but the Island governments kept theirs.
On 9 August 1940 the military government of the Channel Islands was established. It consisted of two parts: a military organization for civilian affairs, and an occupation garrison under military command. The administration came under the military government of France run from St Germain by Otto and, from January 1942, Heinrich-Karl von Stulpnagel. The Islands were part of District A, Departement de La Ma nche, headed by General Schreibe r, and were run by Feldkommandantur 515, formed in Munich, which had seen service in Luxemburg, before transferring to the Channel Islands. Their headquarters were in Victoria College House on Jersey while day-to-day business on the Island was handled from offices in the town hall in York Street, St Helier. On Guernsey their headquarters were at Grange Lodge Hotel, and their St Peter Port office was in the Islands Hotel (now the Savoy). Although there were arguments about jurisdiction, and an external enquiry, the structure remained unchanged until 19 May 1944 when the administration's status was reduced to that of Platzkommandantur (PKI), and the final appeal in the courts was transferred to the military.
The first Feldkommandant was Major Friedrich Schumacher, an elderly, portly man, who was in the Islands for a year before he was replaced in October 1941 by Major Fricdrich Knackfuss. He left in February 1944, and was replaced by Major I.V. Hcider who became Platzkommandant and remained in that position until February 1945 when a shake-up took place in the personnel of the occupation government. The branch or nebenstelle in Guernsey was run by Major Kratzer, and two Sonderfuhrer (a title with no precise equivalent in English) were responsible for Alderney and an outpost at Granville handling economic and shipping matters. Alderney was brought into the administrative structure in 1941, wit h the appointment of SF Heinz He rzog who established his headquarters in Lloyd's Bank in Victoria Street, St Anne.
There is general agreement that in spite of harsh orders and violations of the Hague Convention which FK515 administrators were required to issue, their conduct of affairs was often intelligent and sympathetic. The
Fcldkommandants could act severely. Schumacher ordered sixty Guernsey Islanders to patrol telephone wires at night for a fortnight after there had been a minor case of sabotage. Knackfuss arrested ten Jersey citizens as possible hostages when a seditious news sheet was produced. But in France there would have been shootings. Schumacher and the Military Commander had early shown in the case of Nicolle and Symes they wished to handle matters their way in the Islands and using the excuse that they had given their words as officers they overruled St Germain and prevented the execution of the two men. Knackfuss strongly objected to the deportation orders in 1942. but he could not defy a direct F ü hrer
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