Nazis' Persecuted Islanders Set to Receive Memorial Stones in Honor

In the heart of Jersey, a small island off the coast of Normandy, a poignant tribute is being paid to 25 individuals who lost their lives or suffered at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. The Stolpersteine project, initiated by German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, is commemorating these brave souls with handmade cobblestone markers, known as Stolpersteine or 'stumble stones'.

The Stolpersteine project, now spanning over 100,000 stones across mainland Europe, serves as a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. Each stone, measuring just 10cm², bears the name, birth date, and fate of the person it honours, etched onto a brass cap.

One of the first stones to be laid in the second phase of the project in Jersey will be outside the Town Hall in memory of Peter Johnson, who died at Mittelbau-Dora Concentration Camp in 1944. Peter was arrested for possession of a radio, a camera, photographs, and a First World War pistol. His brother, Clarence Painter, was also arrested under similar circumstances and was murdered on 16 February 1945 while in transit to Mittelbau-Dora.

Another individual being commemorated is Flavien Barbier, who was arrested for taking part in demonstrations and deported in 1943. Despite surviving the ordeal, his wartime experiences had a profound effect on his mental health.

Several others, including William Marsh, John Nicolle, and George Fox, were sentenced for various offences such as insulting the German forces, radio offences, and stealing from German barracks to feed their families. They were deported and died in concentration camps or prisons.

June Sinclair, a woman who slapped a German soldier who made crude remarks and attempted to kiss her, was arrested and deported, ultimately meeting her end in Ravensbrück concentration camp.

Canon Clifford Cohu and Clifford Quérée were arrested for radio offences and died in Zöschen Forced Labour Re-education Camp and Naumburg Prison, respectively.

Edward Muels was convicted for 'aiding and abetting desertion' and died in Kassel-Wehlheiden Prison, while Marcel Rossi and Francois Le Villio were deported for refusing to work for the German Forces and stealing from the German Forces, respectively. They both died in Hersbruck and Ulm Hospital.

Stanley Green was arrested for possession of a radio and camera and was deported. He was liberated from Laufen internment camp in May 1945. John Soyer, arrested for a radio offence, escaped Villeneuve Saint-Georges Prison in June 1944 and joined the French Resistance. He was shot and killed on 29 July 1944.

The UK received its first Stolperstein three years ago in memory of a Dutch woman of Jewish heritage, Ada van Dantzig, who was murdered in Auschwitz aged 25.

The project also remembers those who were persecuted but survived, such as Gerald Bird, who was sentenced for failing to surrender an anti-German leaflet and imprisoned. After attempting to escape, he was liberated but suffered from long-term PTSD.

Louisa Gould, who sheltered a Russian slave worker and was found with a radio and camera, was imprisoned and murdered in Ravensbrück in February 1945.

James Houillebecq was arrested for the unauthorized possession of arms and was deported. He died on 20 January 1945 in Neuengamme concentration camp. Joseph Tierney was arrested for a radio offence and deported, dying in Kastice, Czech Republic in May 1945.

Samuel Simon, a registered Jew, died on 7 November 1943 from 'senile myocarditis, cardiac failure' exacerbated by trauma, principally due to the threat of deportation.

Maurice Gould was arrested when attempting to escape and died at Wittlich on 1 October 1943.

The Stolpersteine project serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed during World War II and honours those who stood up against oppression. As the number of stones continues to grow, so does the legacy of these brave individuals, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.