Liberation 80

Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Liberation Day and be at the centre of the action from the square where victory was declared!

A must-see for World War II history enthusiasts.

Liberation Day, May 9th 2025 marks 80 years since the Channel Island’s liberation from German occupation. Celebrating the anniversary a year later than D-Day in the UK, the islands mark the occasion with parades, reenactments, motorcades and exhibitions that bring history to life. Walk through streets with period vehicles, see a uniformed parade, enjoy live music and more.

Events take place 09 May and across the weekend.

As the only part of the UK to be occupied during the war, members of the German military were brought to the island for respite and recovery in addition to holding this strategic position between Britain and France.

Daily life for islanders were forever changed: radio was outlawed cutting off connections with the mainland and France; fuel shortages increased the amount of horse-drawn traffic and bicycles became in such high demand that their use was restricted to essential services; traffic was forced to drive on the wrong side of the road; shopping hours were reduced as goods became increasingly scarce and islanders were replacing everyday foods like salt with seawater and numerous other tribulations.

Changes to island life can still be seen on the islands today. Tunnels were etched into the landscapes by slave labourers, centuries old castles were dismantled or altered to reinforce defences, towers and lookouts erected along the coast as part of the ‘Atlantic Wall’ and so much more.

The five-year occupation came to an end on 09 May 1945 – Liberation Day, an event still celebrated in the Channel Islands with an annual Bank Holiday.

Explore the residents’ stories, from evacuation to liberation, with visits to the Jersey War Tunnels, Jersey Maritime Museum and the Occupation Tapestry, Guernsey’s La Valette Underground Military Museum or German Naval Signals HQ, or explore with coastal rambles between forts, towers and bunkers.

Looking to head to the Channel Islands for the Liberation celebrations? Check out these offers showcasing prevalent hotels that played their own roles during the war.

Pomme d’Or in Jersey was previously the German Navy Headquarters and lead the first celebrations when the liberating forces arrived removing the German swastika flag down from the hotel balcony and returning the Union Jack in its place.

Old Government House in Guernsey was used by German Officers as a military HQ. Here, Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers could spend their leave and off duty periods. Food and drink were served and there was a well-stocked library available for them to use.