Ghosts of Alderney – Hitler’s Island Slaves was made after artist and researcher Piers Secunda joined forces with Alderney resident and filmmaker Charlie Gauvain to revisit some of the island’s wartime history.
Mr Secunda, who has work in the collections of the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Ashmolean, spent more than five years investigating Alderney’s past for the film.
He said he was impressed by the work carried out by Lord Pickles and his team in investigating the occupation of Alderney and felt that an admission of previous 'cover-ups' of elements of the atrocities will have relieved pressure on the island.
‘I feel strongly that the names of those who are known to have lost their lives on Alderney should be formally acknowledged on Alderney, to allow – especially – the descendants of former prisoners, and also the islanders, a further sense of closure,’ he said.
‘Ghosts of Alderney shows clearly the wrongdoing and hurt caused to multiple generations of former prisoners, as a result of the now admitted UK government cover-ups.
‘Let’s remember the victims by name and close this sad chapter of our collective British history.’
It was recently shown for the first time in public in Jersey as part of the Parish Film Festival taster event.
‘The feedback we had was very positive, lots of interesting questions and a good turn out,’ said producer Andrew Johnstone. ‘The festival was pleased and so were we.’
Fellow producer Robert Hall said the son of an Alderney slave worker had spoken at the screening and called for a memorial carrying the names of victims to be erected in the island.
The producers hope to screen the film in Alderney as soon as a venue can be found.
Ghosts of Alderney is screening at the Mallard daily until next Friday.
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