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The ongoing maintenance of the Fort George Military Cemetery is testament to the progress made in the relationship between Guernsey and Germany over the past eight decades, said one of the German officers involved in keeping the graves tidy.
Major Squadron Commander Karsten Adrian has made numerous visits to the island, and said he feels like he knows his countrymen buried at Fort George, even though they all died decades before he was born.
He worked with local researcher Simon Hamon to produce a book called 'Life Lives Beyond the Grave: The Story of the German Military Cemetery at Fort George and those buried there' which was published last year after becoming enamoured with the island on previous visits.
"I fell in love with the island, its history and its people," he said.
"I actually think I know quite a lot of the people that are lying here (at Fort George), not because I'm related to them, but because I wrote the book with Simon Hamon.
"You get a feeling for the people, because you're able to tell their story that they are not allowed to have. It gets you to really know them all.
Many congratulations to all involved in the publication of 'Life Lives Beyond the Grave: The Story of the German Military Cemetery at Fort George and those buried there'. An invaluable record of the German servicemen who lived and died here in #Guernsey 1940-43 @Volksbund @CWGC pic.twitter.com/ZhakV7cFZe
— Gov House Guernsey (@GvHouseGuernsey) November 13, 2023
Major Adrian is based in Germany now, having worked in the UK at the NATO Headquarters in Gloucestershire for some years.
Alongside his own military career Major Adrian has been involved in work to maintain the Military Cemetery at Fort George, and other military graves across the island.
111 German officers are buried at the Fort George Military Cemetery. They were serving in Guernsey during the Occupation. There were 269 German burials in Guernsey during the Occupation in total.
Major Adrian said the German officers who travel to the island each year also look after other military graves too.
"We did a service to every grave that's over here. We repaired mostly British headstones that were fallen over or broken down," he explained.
"In 2022 we laid a headstone for a commando raid on Sark, and I was the first officer from Germany being in Sark in uniform after liberation. We did a lot of steps in the past years, starting with Biberach and now years later we know we did a lot," he said.
Pictured: The majority of the graves at Fort George Military Cemetery are for German officers who died here during the Occupation, but there are other nationalities buried there too.
Major Adrian said the progress that can now be seen in the relationship between Guernsey and Germany is down to the effort many people have put in over the years.
His thoughts were echoed by Chris Betley, Guernsey's Honorary German Consul.
"That's why it's so nice, and you can see with the service (yesterday) and the lit torches and the German way of doing things very properly, very thoroughly, and it was actually really quite emotional.
"I think all the soldiers that have come over absolutely appreciate the opportunity to be able to come and and do the work that they've been doing. They've loved it, but they've worked very hard," he said.
Mr Betley said the visits are arranged through official channels with the wholehearted support of the German Army and other national bodies.
"It's wonderful that the German War Graves Commission support this group of soldiers," he said.
Pictured: A tree previously planted by German officers is maintained by their comrades who continue to visit the island each year.
"These officers who visited this week, they've been here for a week, and it's probably the worst weather, the worst summer weather that I can remember in Guernsey. And they've been worked so hard."
He added: "As you can see, the cemetery looks in fantastic condition. They've done a brilliant job."
The Bailiff was at the wreath laying ceremony yesterday and he also paid tribute to the hard work of Major Squadron Commander Adrian and his colleagues.
"We're grateful to the German army for wanting to take the time to come across to Guernsey and the fact that there are a good number of German people who are buried in this cemetery, but they don't just concentrate on the German graves. They're sorting out all the graves that are in this cemetery.
"There's quite a lot of people during the years of occupation who did lose their lives and are now laid to rest here, and this is a focal point for the Germans, and for the families as well to be able to come here and and see their loved ones in a good location."
Pictured: Major Squadron Commander Karsten Adrian bought his children and other members of his family to Guernsey on this trip.
Reflecting on Guernsey's relationship with Germany now, compared to the late 1940s, Sir Richard McMahon said initiatives like this have helped build a lasting friendship.
"I think it's all part and parcel of once an appropriate period of time elapsed after the end of the war, of building friendships with our German friends.
"That is a process of reconciliation that's been developed as well with Biberach, and we have good relationships with Biberach now. That was something that was launched in the late 1990s, so it did take quite some time for people to be prepared to think about those who'd been interned over there and similarly with our relationship with elements of the German army.
"Once again, it shows that we can extend that hand of friendship to them and that they will hopefully grasp it, and we can build a common future together."
Pictured top: Major Squadron Commander Karsten Adrian at the Fort George Military Cemetery.
New book reveals reality of German soldiers buried here
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