Visiting Biberachers enjoy Liberation 80 celebrations
Guernsey’s 80th Liberation celebrations were commemorated recently, in April and May.
On St David’s Day, a small service of remembrance was held at the White Rock, St Peter Port in honour of the many deportees who were sent to Camp Lindele in Biberach, and who were liberated by French forces on 23 April 1945. The service was then followed by a celebratory lunch at Les Cotils, kindly organised by Jill and Alan Chubb, and sponsored by an anonymous donor.
At the same time, a special commemorative service was also held in Biberach on the site of the former Camp, arranged by the Biberach Friends of Guernsey.
On May 9th, Guernsey’s Liberation Day was celebrated in style. Amongst the thousands who lined the streets to see our Royal visitor, Princess Anne, was a large group of visitors from Biberach, including the town’s Mayor, Norbet Zeidler, who participated in a special ‘signing’ event at Candie Museum. The special Framework of Friendship agreement was a formalisation of the now established relationship between Guernsey and Biberach, and was signed by dignitaries from both places.
The friendship agreement is intended to lead to more cultural and educational exchanges between Guernsey and Biberach, with support for collaborative projects between both places.
A perfect example of the sort of collaborative project then occurred the next day, on 10 May, with a wonderful Liberation Concert at Beau Sejour featuring the Biberach Youth Orchestra, the Guernsey Music Centre and Guernsey’s Choral Society.
It was indeed a fitting and appropriate end to the Liberation 80 celebrations.
Credit: Guernsey Press, Bailiwick Express, Friends of the Guernsey Music Centre
