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Legacies of Occupation pp 21–82Cite as

Militaria: Collecting the Debris of War

1940 to The Present Day

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Part of the book series: Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology ((CGHA,volume 40))

Abstract

Why do some people in formerly occupied countries collect German militaria? Is this a sign of dangerous right-wing tendencies or merely the result of particular socio-historic events and processes? This chapter explores the phenomenon of collecting German militaria in the Channel Islands. Rather than approaching the evidence using preconceived interpretations of political incorrectness or interpreting militaria as symbols of closet neo-Nazism, I approach this chapter from a contextual and historical vantage point with the intention of understanding the motives behind this long-lived interaction and interception in the biography of objects which date to the Occupation. The history of the post-war biography of these objects has not been written down before now; rather, it lies in the past and present actions, collections and memories of collectors in the islands today. They have been the people who, from childhood, have tracked down and ‘rescued’, ‘liberated’ or ‘souvenired’ the objects, swapped them in the school playground and persuaded friends and relations to part with them or source them and who continue to trade them today or display them in their private museums. In this chapter, I also explore how the trade in German militaria ‘works’ in the Channel Islands and what this can tell us about concepts of value and authenticity when it comes to German militaria.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The helmets are currently on display in the German Occupation Museum in Guernsey.

  2. 2.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  3. 3.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  4. 4.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  5. 5.

    E.g. Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  6. 6.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  7. 7.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  8. 8.

    Email to author from Damien Horn, 25 July 2011.

  9. 9.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  10. 10.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  11. 11.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  12. 12.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  13. 13.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  14. 14.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  15. 15.

    Interview between author and Paul Balshaw, 16 March 2009.

  16. 16.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  17. 17.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  18. 18.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  19. 19.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  20. 20.

    Interview with author, name withheld, 26 August 2009.

  21. 21.

    ‘Captured German Material Sold’, Jersey Evening Post, 15 February 1946.

  22. 22.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  23. 23.

    Informal conversation between author and Richard Heaume, summer 2007.

  24. 24.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  25. 25.

    Informal conversation between author and Tom Remfrey, summer 2007.

  26. 26.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  27. 27.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  28. 28.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  29. 29.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  30. 30.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  31. 31.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  32. 32.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  33. 33.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  34. 34.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  35. 35.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  36. 36.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  37. 37.

    Interview between author and Paul Balshaw, 16 March 2009.

  38. 38.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  39. 39.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  40. 40.

    Interview between author and Alan Allix, 21 June 2009.

  41. 41.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  42. 42.

    ‘Ho’ is an abbreviation of ‘Hohlgangsanlagen’ or ‘cave-passage-installations’.

  43. 43.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  44. 44.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  45. 45.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  46. 46.

    Jersey Evening Post, 19 March 1952.

  47. 47.

    Interview between author and Paul and Peter Balshaw, 16 March 2009.

  48. 48.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  49. 49.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  50. 50.

    The law in the Channel Islands dictates that the contents of underground tunnels or bunkers belong to the person who owns the land above them.

  51. 51.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  52. 52.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  53. 53.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  54. 54.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  55. 55.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010

  56. 56.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  57. 57.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 may 2010.

  58. 58.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  59. 59.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  60. 60.

    Interview with author, name withheld, 26 August 2009.

  61. 61.

    Interview with author, name withheld, 26 August 2009.

  62. 62.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  63. 63.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  64. 64.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  65. 65.

    Interview between author and Tony Titterington, 10 April 2010.

  66. 66.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  67. 67.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  68. 68.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  69. 69.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  70. 70.

    Jersey Evening Post, 10 May 1973: 11.

  71. 71.

    My thanks to Mark Lamerton for showing me the liberation souvenir items in his collection.

  72. 72.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  73. 73.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  74. 74.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  75. 75.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  76. 76.

    E.g. www.festungjerseymilitaria.com, accessed 24 July 2011.

  77. 77.

    Telephone interview with Danny Wakley, 26 July 2011.

  78. 78.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  79. 79.

    Email from Damien Horn to author, 24 July 2010.

  80. 80.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 8 April 2010.

  81. 81.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  82. 82.

    Interview between author and Richard Heaume, 16 March 2009.

  83. 83.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  84. 84.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  85. 85.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  86. 86.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  87. 87.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  88. 88.

    www.festungjerseymilitaria.com, accessed 9 July 2011.

  89. 89.

    Email to author from Martin Walton, 21 April 2010.

  90. 90.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010

  91. 91.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  92. 92.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  93. 93.

    Telephone interview between author and Danny Wakley, 26 July 2011.

  94. 94.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  95. 95.

    Interview between author and Mark Lamerton, 8 May 2009.

  96. 96.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  97. 97.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 8 April 2010.

  98. 98.

    Email to author from Martin Walton, 19 April 2010.

  99. 99.

    Email to author from Martin Walton, 30 April 2010.

  100. 100.

    Some collectors expressed a disapproval of the way that some of their fellow collectors conduct themselves in their search for and negotiation of objects.

  101. 101.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  102. 102.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  103. 103.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  104. 104.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  105. 105.

    Name of collector withheld.

  106. 106.

    Phone call between author and Damien Horn, 23 July 2011.

  107. 107.

    Interview between author and Martin Walton, 31 August 2009.

  108. 108.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  109. 109.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  110. 110.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  111. 111.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  112. 112.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 8 April 2010.

  113. 113.

    Interview with author, Graeme Delanoe and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  114. 114.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  115. 115.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  116. 116.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  117. 117.

    Email to author from Martin Walton, 25 July 2011.

  118. 118.

    Email to author from Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  119. 119.

    I thank Martin Walton for reminding me of the importance of this tradition.

  120. 120.

    I thank Richard Heaume for making this link.

  121. 121.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  122. 122.

    Interview between author and Graeme Delanoe, 25 May 2010.

  123. 123.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 22 May 2010.

  124. 124.

    Email from Damien Horn to author, 8 April 2010.

  125. 125.

    Interview with author, name withheld, 14 July 2011.

  126. 126.

    Interview between author and Peter Le Vesconte, 6 April 2010.

  127. 127.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 8 April 2010.

  128. 128.

    Interview between author and Ian Channing, 2 May 2010.

  129. 129.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  130. 130.

    Interview with author, name withheld, 26 August 2009.

  131. 131.

    Interview between author and Damien Horn, 11 May 2010.

  132. 132.

    My thanks to Jon Carter, Director of Jersey Museum, for this observation.

  133. 133.

    Jersey War Tunnels guidebook, p. 8.

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  1. St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, UK

    Gillian Carr

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  1. Gillian Carr
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Carr, G. (2014). Militaria: Collecting the Debris of War. In: Legacies of Occupation. Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology, vol 40. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03407-2_2

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