Book description
In 1956 sea area Heligoland became German Bight. But why did the
North Sea island, which for nearly a century had demonstrated its
loyalty to Britain, lose its identity? How had this once peaceful
haven become, as Admiral Jacky Fisher exclaimed 'a dagger pointed at
England's heart'? Behind the renaming of Heliogland lies a catalogue
of deceit, political ambition, blunder and daring. Heligoland came
under British rule in the nineteenth century, a 'Gibraltar' of the
North Sea. Then, in 1890, despite the islanders' wishes, Lord
Salisbury announced his intention to swap it for Germany's presence in
Zanzibar. The Prime Minister's decision unleashed a storm of
controversy. Queen Victoria telegrammed from Balmoral to register her
fury. During both world wars, it was used by Germany to control the
North Sea, and RAF planes bombed the once-British territory. The story
of Heligoland is more than an obscure footnote to the British Empire -
it shows the significance of territory throughout history.
