Experts find no evidence to back ‘mini Auschwitz’ claims
More people died than previously thought in Nazi-occupied Alderney between 1940 and 1945, but an expert panel of researchers have found no evidence to support claims of a ‘mini Auschwitz’.
A report was published today and will be officially released in London this morning, confirming the number of prisoners who died in the island.
A team of 11 independent and internationally recognised experts calculated that at least 7,600 prisoners or labourers were sent to Alderney.
Death figures have been revised upwards from original estimates of 389 people to a range of between 641 and 1,027.
The UK’s post Holocaust issues envoy, Lord Eric Pickles, will be at the report’s launch this morning.
‘I have encountered many arguments over numbers,’ he said.
‘Nothing compares to the virulence or personal nature of arguments over numbers in Alderney.
‘At a time when parts of Europe are seeking to rinse their history through the Holocaust, the British Isles must tell the unvarnished truth. Numbers do matter. It is as much of a Holocaust distortion to exaggerate the number of deaths as it is to underplay the numbers. Exaggeration plays into the hands of Holocaust deniers and undermines the six million dead. The truth can never harm us.’
Forced and slave labourers were brought to Alderney from countries across Europe to construct fortifications as part of the German war effort. They were housed in camps and subjected to atrocious living and working conditions.
‘I am proud of the way the team of experts came together to provide answers to the questions set by Lord Pickles,’ said Dr Gilly Carr from the University of Cambridge, who has a long link with the islands and was a member of the expert review panel.
‘It shows what can be achieved when you bring together the right people with the right experience and expertise who are committed to working in memory of those who suffered in Alderney during the Occupation.’
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis issued a statement.
‘The findings of the Alderney Review are a significant and welcome development,’ he said.
‘Having an authoritative account of this harrowing element of the island’s history is vital. It enables us to accurately remember the individuals who so tragically suffered and died on British soil. Marking the relevant sites will now be an appropriate step to take, to ensure that this information is widely available.’
Newspaper reports previewing the publication of the report were dismissed as guesswork over the past weekend but have proved to be accurate.
