Lord who announced review into Alderney labour camps to speak at Guernsey event

Lord Pickles visited Alderney in 2019 and saw the island's museum, Longis Common, Lager Sylt and Hammond Memorial. Credit: ITV Channel

The UK Envoy for Post Holocaust Issues will address Guernsey’s Jewish community this afternoon (13 February) as his report into Alderney deaths during Nazi occupation nears its conclusion.

Lord Eric Pickles will host a dinner at the Old Government House Hotel at 7pm to share his views regarding Guernsey, past and present.

Last year, Lord Pickles announced a review into the number of prisoners who died in Alderney during the Nazi occupation.

In 1941, Nazi occupiers built four labour camps on the island, with prisoners forced to build the island's fortifications including bunkers, tunnels, and air raid shelters.

Lord Pickles has appointed 11 independent experts to examine evidence to dispel speculation over the number of deaths.

The UK Envoy said: “Numbers matter because the truth matters. The dead deserve the dignity of the truth; the residents of Alderney deserve accurate numbers to free them from the distortion of conspiracy theorists."

He added: “Exaggerating the numbers of the dead, or even minimising them, is in itself a form of Holocaust distortion and a critical threat to Holocaust memory."

The review’s findings are due to be published next month.