The Girl from the Channel Islands

Hedy Bercu left Austria in 1938 to escape the pending persecution of the Jews by the Germans and arrived in Jersey, part of the Channel Islands where she thought she would be safe. Then in 1940 members of the German Army arrived on Jersey. Not everyone was able to leave the island. Those who stayed faced impeding starvation, freezing winters with little fuel, confiscation of radios resulting in loss of contact with what was happening elsewhere in the world and constant fear - especially if your heritage was Jewish.

Hedy did have one friend, Anton, but eventually he became a conscript in the German Army. Hedy had promised Anton that she would look after Anton's wife while he was away. As she was able to read German and English, Hedy had a work as a translator for the Germans. At least this meant that she had a little money to help her survive. Part of Hedy's work was to distribute petrol rationing coupons and she began to save a few for the local doctor so that he could continue to visit patients on the island. This, of course, had to be done in strict secrecy. Then she met a young German officer who was sympathetic to her situation and who risked his life to help her when she was in danger.

The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lacoat is based on a true story.

Two other books about living in the Channel Island during German occupation are Dancing with the Enemy by Diane Armstrong and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by  Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows.