‘Captive Island’
Exhibition
CAPTIVE ISLAND is a moving interpretation of the Occupation of the Channel
Islands by the German Forces from 1940-1945.
As the largest Occupation exhibition in Jersey it is situated within the inner galleries of the Ho8 tunnel complex at Jersey War Tunnels and was voted runner-up in the Silver Unicorn Award for the best new tourist attraction in Britain in 2001.
The exhibition was opened in April 2001 by newspaper editor, author and
historian Sir Max Hastings.
Created by UK exhibition designers Event Communications Limited, at a cost
of £1.5 million, the state-of-the-art exhibition Captive Island makes
compelling use of electronic digital technology, graphically bringing to
life the appalling hardships suffered to build the ‘impregnable fortress’
demanded by Adolf Hitler.
The galleries have become the exhibition spaces, taking visitors from ‘Threatened
Island’, through to ‘Daily Life’, ‘Resistance’
and ultimately ‘Liberation’.
Much hitherto unpublished research has been used to reveal, as never before, the plight of Islanders, occupiers and those forced to the island to work on a strategic folly – 1km of underground tunnels. In video and sound installations many Islanders including deportees, escapees, housewives and forced labourers relate their experiences.
Throughout, visitors are drawn into the Occupation experience and asked to consider the thoughts and actions of those involved. What would they have done in that situation? In exchange for an admission ticket, every visitor receives an Occupation identity card relating to a real-life individual featured in the exhibition.
In 1944 the complex was converted into a casualty clearing station and at the centre of the exhibition the visitor is confronted by the chillingly accurate reconstruction of the operating theatre, the table sheeted and ready for use, poised to deal with the first wounded from an Allied invasion that would have also caused appalling casualties amongst the civilian population. No such invasion ever took place and the occupying forces surrendered without a shot being fired.
An exhibition of photographs in the Visitor Centre’s Café, assembled by retired curator Joe Miére – who as a teenager was imprisoned by the German secret police – poignantly highlights the harrowing stories of Islanders living with an enemy literally at the door.
A glimpse of the award-winning ‘Captive Island’ exhibition may be found on the website www.jerseywartunnels.com which is under constant development to bring the unique experiences of Islanders at war to the widest possible audience.
Jersey War Tunnels is situated at Les Charrieres Malorey, St Lawrence, Jersey, and is open daily from 14 February until 19 December from 9.30 am until 5.30 pm with last admissions at 4 pm. The 2004 price of admission for Adults is £8.00, Senior Citizens £7.00, Children £4.00 (aged six years or under are admitted free of charge) and £6.00 for Students and serving members of the Armed Forces.