Prior to the invasion of the Channel Islands the inhabitants of Alderney were evacuated to the British mainland on the 30 June 1940. The Germans immediately began to fortify the island to do which they needed huge numbers of workers. Four work camps were built with little need for many guards or high fences. Alderney was only 3 miles across and surrounded by sea. Most of the prisoners were Russian and Jews. They worked 16 hours a day with little food or rest. Many died of ill treatment, starvation or disease. The Number of Jews who died is unknown.
In November 1942 the Russian Cemetery was opened for the burial of foreign workers and in 1945 256 Russian graves were identified in 7 rows.
On the western side of the cemetery were eight graves marked with Jewish names.
In 1949 the bodies of Robert Perlestein, Lucien Worms and Wilfred Gordensson were exhumed by their families for reburial. In 1961 it was proposed that the bodies of the other five be moved to the German ossuary at Mont de Huisnes in France with the other foreign workers but this was bitterly opposed. In 1963 the five bodied were removed to St Owen's cemetery where they were buried together in Division 36, vault 25.
Prior to the invasion of the Channel Islands the inhabitants of Alderney were evacuated to the British mainland on the 30 June 1940. The Germans immediately began to fortify the island to do which they needed huge numbers of workers. Four work camps were built with little need for many guards or high fences. Alderney was only 3 miles across and surrounded by sea. Most of the prisoners were Russian and Jews. They worked 16 hours a day with little food or rest. Many died of ill treatment, starvation or disease. The Number of Jews who died is unknown.
In November 1942 the Russian Cemetery was opened for the burial of foreign workers and in 1945 256 Russian graves were identified in 7 rows.
On the western side of the cemetery were eight graves marked with Jewish names.
In 1949 the bodies of Robert Perlestein, Lucien Worms and Wilfred Gordensson were exhumed by their families for reburial. In 1961 it was proposed that the bodies of the other five be moved to the German ossuary at Mont de Huisnes in France with the other foreign workers but this was bitterly opposed. In 1963 the five bodied were removed to St Owen's cemetery where they were buried together in Division 36, vault 25.
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