A five-star hotel on the Channel Island of Guernsey has a unique story to tell that took place during its occupation by the German forces in World War II. Andrew Chantrell, general manager of the Old Government House (the OGH) sat down with Geoff Moore to explain how this hotel became a Soldiers’ Home – or Soldatenheim – in 1940, when the Germans invaded the Channel Islands.
*Geoff was hosted by the OGH, part of the Red Carnation Group.
There were three such homes on Guernsey itself. Located in a prime position, in the capital of St. Peter Port, the Old Government House was first used as a military headquarters. Then, in 1941, it was to provide a rest and recuperation center for German troops until Guernsey was liberated on May 9, 1945.
These types of homes were operated by German Red Cross volunteers across areas of the conflict, and in the case of the OGH was run by Elfriede Brockhaus.
The rooms were split into different classes – some for officers and some for ordinary ranks. Troops were required to stand and salute when officers came into a room, but, otherwise, it was for them all a home away from home – a place to buy meals, drink and book rooms when off duty.
While World War II was progressing, the hotel was still owned by the Gardener family, but the Germans altered and remove items during their occupation. The building itself came out of the conflict pretty well unscathed, and it carried on running as a hotel.
Today, the OGH is Guernsey’s only five-star hotel. It has 60 rooms, a spa and a heated outside pool, and first-class restaurants. It’s located a short walk from the main street, the harbor area and the 880-year-old Castle Cornet.
There is a library of photos and letters still in the Doyle Room of the hotel, documenting the day-to-day work and communication going on during the war, including a memo asking for one “Fat Pig” a month to be delivered to the home.
Andrew said, “Something that I really love about the hotel and something that guests can see now is where some of the pictures of Germans enjoying tea in the garden. Whilst the hotel has been developed and extended, the history of the property is still evident and you can still see some of the scenes depicted in the pictures.”
The hotel has this archive of material and is always keen to tell the story of the structure during the occupation, when just a few small islands of the United Kingdom came under German control. Although there’s a huge amount of fortification on Guernsey, within the hotel itself they have never found any secret bunker or cellar installed by the occupying forces.
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Certainly, the hotel today is far more luxurious than it ever was during that wartime occupation period. However, in that garden area, you can still see where some of those snaps from 80 years ago were taken.