Historians reveal young linguist's crucial role in Occupation

Thursday 21 February 2019

A young islander's foreign schooling experience in Germany led her into a role that saw her produce one of the most important documents throughout the entire Occupation - and even helped her meet her husband.

The story of Betty, who spent time living with a family and attending college in Germany, as a teenager in the 1930s to learn the local language, has been revealed by historians to mark International Mother Language Day.

Her experience led her to have one of the most important jobs in Jersey: working alongside the Bailiff and Superior Council translating documents, including the Nazis' surrender papers, as Jersey War Tunnels explained to Express...

"When German forced reached Jersey’s shores, the States of Jersey were asked by Britain to remain in office to steer the Island through the troubled times ahead. This led to the creation of the Superior Council on 24 June 1940. 

Led by the Bailiff, it acted as a buffer between the occupying army and the civil population. The Council consisted of the Presidents of each States of Jersey department and the Crown Officers. 

Once the German authorities began their regime – issuing orders and edicts that dictated many aspects of everyday life – it was clear to the Superior Council that a translator would be needed. Whilst the majority of Islanders spoke French and Jersey French, very few spoke German. Having recently returned to Jersey, Betty, who spoke three languages – English, French and German - answered the appeal for linguists. 

Pictured: The States of Jersey offices were located next to the Royal Square and the Court.

She worked in the States of Jersey offices and was kept extremely busy interpreting and translating orders due to the large number of edicts coming from the occupying forces.

While dealing with the Germans was difficult, Betty's work did come with benefits. The office was in the centre of town, next to the Royal Square and the Court where lawyers would come and go, and Betty met many interesting people and always knew what was going on – something that was rare during the occupation. 

One of the lawyers she met during the occupation became her husband. They had a war-time wedding, secretly captured on ciné film, and remained happily married throughout their lives. 

When the war and occupation ended Betty performed her most significant task: the translation of the surrender document to be signed by the German Commander."