Hi, I am looking for some information about Col, later LtGen Graf Von Schmettow of the Wehrmacht who I believe was C-in-C Channel Islands for the majority of the war. I would like to know what happened to him after he was replaced by Vice-Admiral Huffmeier in 1945. Thanks.
Hi, he was actually military commander on two occasions on the the Channel Islands. Replaced and reinstated. I have no knowledge of what he did after the islands were liberated. But have numerous books on the islands and their war. My Garndfather on my mothers side lived on Guensey during the occupation and has left many articles and journals etc with myself and my brother. Unfortunately nothing I can see in them or my own materials focuses on what happened to the General after liberation of the islands. The only commander I am sure of future wise is the initial landing commander who controlled the islands for a while and was then killed on the Eastern front.
Checking the net on info: some nice sites... here´s a closer pic http://gebirgsjager40.com/schmettow%20page.htm http://gebirgsjager40.com/history%20page.htm http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/Vizeadmiral%20Friedrich%20H%FCffmeier.htm GERMAN ADMINISTRATORS DURING WWII After occupation both major islands and their dependencies were administrated by the commanders of the invasion forces. This was however soon followed by the establishment of a regular military - civilian administration (Feldkommandatur 515), which covered all islands and was subordinated to the German military government in France. In 1944, as allied invasion approached, the commander of the German garrisons (the Inselkommandant), who had till then mostly had military tasks, assumed also much of the administrative functions, the Feldkommandatur being reduced to a Platzkommandatur. Heads of the Civil Administration Feldkommandanten 1940 - 1941 Friedrich Schumacher 1941 - 1944 Friedrich Knackfuss 1944 Wilhelm Kratzer* 1944 I. V. Heider Platzkommandanten 1944 - 1945 I. V. Heider s.a. 1945 Kurt von Cleve Commanders of the German Occupation Forces Inselkommandanten 1940 - 1941 Rudolf, Graf von Schmettow 1941 - 1943 Erich Müller 1943 - 1945 Rudolf, Graf von Schmettow (2x) 1945 Friedrich Hüffmeier http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Rotunda/2209/Channel_Islands.html http://www.spanishrefugees-basquechildren.org/B2-Germany_occupies_C.I.html --------- December 2001 Theft from Guernsey’s German Occupation Museum - Can you help? The stunning German Occupation Museum of the beautiful Channel Island of Guernsey has been rocked by a rather unpalatable theft of one of its most important relics of the island’s 1940-45 war-time occupation by the forces of Nazi Germany. On Friday September 21st, the steel helmet of former German Harbourmaster Kapitan Obermeyer was stolen from a locked glass case in the central display room in the museum and was the only item taken, despite other even more valuable items being displayed in the case, namely the helmet of German Channel Islands Kommandant General Graf von Schmettow, occasioning museum owner Richard Heaume to believe it was stolen to order on behalf of a helmet collector somewhere in our collecting fraternity. http://www.thewarandpeaceshow.com/notices.htm To read about Museum visit the site at www.tomahawkfilms.com/ Collectors and enthusiasts who may not have had the opportunity of enjoying Guernsey’s superb German Occupation Museum can view many of Richard’s ultra-rare and much-prized artefacts, including Kapt Obermeyer’s helmet, in Tomahawk Films’ 50 minute video documentary ‘Channel Islands Occupied’ at www.tomahawkfilms.com/page_7.html. ---------- Russians in Jersey during the Occupation 1940-1945 http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/geraint/russians/occupation.html ----- http://www.electricity.gg/internet/aboutus/OurFirst100Years/ourfirst100years_theoccupation.asp -------- Unfortunately nothing of the general´s life later on....
Thanks for the links and information. I just wondered after a visit to Guernsey and after the numerous museums I went to.
Just wondering that the main question won´t stay unanswered, hopefully? I.e. LtGen Graf Von Schmettow, anyone know what happened to him after the war??
Hi David, Have just found this site and can give you some information on Von Schmettow. He was as you say in charge of the Channel Islands until deposed by Huffmeier in Feburary 1945. He was returned to Germany and put in the Reserve Order until taken as a POW by the western allies in May 1945. He was released from POW camp in the summer of 1947. In 1963 he was invited back to the Channel Islands by the BBC. He died in 1970, his only son was killed in 1941. He came from a noble Silesian family, had 3 sisters and one brother with many family descendants. Hope this helps Eileen
Thanks Eileen , hopefuly David will read this, Kai-Petri is still around but this thread was started in 2003, so it's been a long time.
