astraboy and the trip to Colditz castle (with pics)
19 December 2005, 06:23 PM
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astraboy and the trip to Colditz castle (with pics)
"Wing Commander" astra here, last week saw me climb into a crate and make a two day trip into former Eastern Germany. I was going to get bent up for those two days (which I did. And then some 
) but it was only when we landed did I realise we were within an hour of going to Coldtiz Castle, sight of the former POW prisoner camp of WWII.
This was the real deal. This castle was where the persistant escapers and other "High security" POWs were kept. Anything from 500-1500 POWs were kept there, including Douglas Bader.
As there was nothing to do, escaping the prison became a way of life and occupied all of the inmate's time. Necessatity being the mother of invention, it gave rise to some of the most ingenious escape attempts ever tried.
Most ended in failure but that didnt stop them from trying again, the sacrifice, determination, lateral thinking and sheer guts to attempt to escape from an impregnable fortress deserves recognition, so I got my camera phone and maxed out its memory taking photos. Here are some of the better ones.
This tunnel was the longest in the castle. 44m in length. The main problem was there was nowhere to put the spoil which had been excavated, so they stuck it in the loft. It was only after 3 tones of the stuff up there forced the roof to cave in that the germans realised a tunnel was being dug. Shortly after, they found it, with only 14m left till the breakthrough.
This rampart had a securty flaw. The POWs realised there was a 60 second gap between night falling and the floodlights coming on. So they got enough rope together to make it down from the third floor and onto this rampart, then over the side and down another 60 ft wall (using more home made rope) to freedom. They had to do it in 60 seconds or they would be recaptured. So they practiced using an interior mock up till they could do it. Then they did it for real. And got away with it.
This was a bed the inmates slept on. Note the straw stuffed sacking mattress. They used to have real mattresses, but they were taken away after some escapers hollowed them out and climbed inside before they were taken out of the castle to be cleaned.
The Glider was the final and some say, ultimate escape attempt. over 55 people were involved in the planning, designing, construction and concealment of the glider, which could accomodate only two escapees. As well as the aircraft itself, a concealed 60ft runway and 2 ton weight was set up which would catapult it off the chapel ceiling. It was made in a concealed and tiny attic room using wood from every source imaginable and doped bedsheets to provide the skin.
The only sad part about it was they finished it too late. When it was completed the war was nearly at an end and the risks were too great for the escape committee to allow them to go through with it.
The glider itself was destroyed shortly after the end of the war, but a few years back a team of aircraft engineers in the UK built an exact replica using the original plans and same materials to see if it would fly. Which it did. 8)
A map showing the routes those who managed to acheive a "home run" (get back to the UK) took. Some went via Gibraltar, some went via sweden, most went to switzerland.
They didnt fly the glider cos they knew the war was nearly over, how did they know? via three concealed radios which were secreted round the castle. They only found the last one when an ex POW came over from the UK and showed them where it was!
This was used to construct the home made uniforms and civillian clothes which were vital to avoid detection once they made it outside. Escaping the walls was only half the job.
One of the POWs worked in a distillery. He made the home brew. From Potatoes. It was effective but tasted vile. However it fell out of favour with the senior ranks and was banned. Mostly because everyone was too wasted to do any escaping!
This was well worth 1 1/2 hours on the bus to get from Leipsieg to see this. I was bowled over by the lengths these people went to to win their freedom, something which most of us take for granted these days. I dont know if this sort of situation would ever exist again as if it were to be repeated these days, most captured would stick the telly on and wait for the war to finish.
However there are always those who would go to any lengths to get what they want and the feeling of acheivement that an escaper who acheived a "home run" when they finally made it back onto british soil must have been unimaginable. Going to the museam was well worth it, if you are ever close then its well worth the 5 euros to get in and have the guided tour.
astraboy.
) but it was only when we landed did I realise we were within an hour of going to Coldtiz Castle, sight of the former POW prisoner camp of WWII.This was the real deal. This castle was where the persistant escapers and other "High security" POWs were kept. Anything from 500-1500 POWs were kept there, including Douglas Bader.
As there was nothing to do, escaping the prison became a way of life and occupied all of the inmate's time. Necessatity being the mother of invention, it gave rise to some of the most ingenious escape attempts ever tried.
Most ended in failure but that didnt stop them from trying again, the sacrifice, determination, lateral thinking and sheer guts to attempt to escape from an impregnable fortress deserves recognition, so I got my camera phone and maxed out its memory taking photos. Here are some of the better ones.
This tunnel was the longest in the castle. 44m in length. The main problem was there was nowhere to put the spoil which had been excavated, so they stuck it in the loft. It was only after 3 tones of the stuff up there forced the roof to cave in that the germans realised a tunnel was being dug. Shortly after, they found it, with only 14m left till the breakthrough.
This rampart had a securty flaw. The POWs realised there was a 60 second gap between night falling and the floodlights coming on. So they got enough rope together to make it down from the third floor and onto this rampart, then over the side and down another 60 ft wall (using more home made rope) to freedom. They had to do it in 60 seconds or they would be recaptured. So they practiced using an interior mock up till they could do it. Then they did it for real. And got away with it.
This was a bed the inmates slept on. Note the straw stuffed sacking mattress. They used to have real mattresses, but they were taken away after some escapers hollowed them out and climbed inside before they were taken out of the castle to be cleaned.
The Glider was the final and some say, ultimate escape attempt. over 55 people were involved in the planning, designing, construction and concealment of the glider, which could accomodate only two escapees. As well as the aircraft itself, a concealed 60ft runway and 2 ton weight was set up which would catapult it off the chapel ceiling. It was made in a concealed and tiny attic room using wood from every source imaginable and doped bedsheets to provide the skin.
The only sad part about it was they finished it too late. When it was completed the war was nearly at an end and the risks were too great for the escape committee to allow them to go through with it.
The glider itself was destroyed shortly after the end of the war, but a few years back a team of aircraft engineers in the UK built an exact replica using the original plans and same materials to see if it would fly. Which it did. 8)
A map showing the routes those who managed to acheive a "home run" (get back to the UK) took. Some went via Gibraltar, some went via sweden, most went to switzerland.
They didnt fly the glider cos they knew the war was nearly over, how did they know? via three concealed radios which were secreted round the castle. They only found the last one when an ex POW came over from the UK and showed them where it was!
This was used to construct the home made uniforms and civillian clothes which were vital to avoid detection once they made it outside. Escaping the walls was only half the job.
One of the POWs worked in a distillery. He made the home brew. From Potatoes. It was effective but tasted vile. However it fell out of favour with the senior ranks and was banned. Mostly because everyone was too wasted to do any escaping!
This was well worth 1 1/2 hours on the bus to get from Leipsieg to see this. I was bowled over by the lengths these people went to to win their freedom, something which most of us take for granted these days. I dont know if this sort of situation would ever exist again as if it were to be repeated these days, most captured would stick the telly on and wait for the war to finish.
However there are always those who would go to any lengths to get what they want and the feeling of acheivement that an escaper who acheived a "home run" when they finally made it back onto british soil must have been unimaginable. Going to the museam was well worth it, if you are ever close then its well worth the 5 euros to get in and have the guided tour.
astraboy.
19 December 2005, 06:27 PM
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Cool and great piccies, alway fancied going especially after the recent series on telly called great escapes or such recounted by the guys who took part and a lot reshot at Colditz castle. 
19 December 2005, 07:39 PM
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ahhh maybe not then, bit of a trek from where I'll be, great thread though, facinating pictures, knew about Colditz but never heard of the glider that was built. great stuff, very facinating
19 December 2005, 08:05 PM
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I had to work for them mate! my phone was dead! Every time I took two photos it would shut itself down and the only way to restart it was to take the battery out and rub it between my hands for a minute.
Worth it though
Glad everyone likes them too
astraboy.
Worth it though
Glad everyone likes them too
astraboy.
20 December 2005, 10:57 AM
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Read Pat Reid's colditz books many times as a kid. Inspirtational knowing what can be done with some time and ingenuity.
It was expected of captured officers to attempt or assist escapes. Enlisted men were not expected to - but many still did.
Douglas Bader's story at Colditz is also worth a read. As a legless men - he argued for and got the prviliege of accompanied walks outside the castle. The irony of which he found very funny. Although he had to agree not to attempt to escape it didnt stop him corrupting his guards and exchanging food with the locals when allowed out. He would also do his best to record the local area for his colleagues.
It was expected of captured officers to attempt or assist escapes. Enlisted men were not expected to - but many still did.
Douglas Bader's story at Colditz is also worth a read. As a legless men - he argued for and got the prviliege of accompanied walks outside the castle. The irony of which he found very funny. Although he had to agree not to attempt to escape it didnt stop him corrupting his guards and exchanging food with the locals when allowed out. He would also do his best to record the local area for his colleagues.
