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Who imprisoned in Colditz?
Colditz was first used as an official Prisoner of War camp during World War One, although no escapes were made at this time. However, when the Nazis came to power in 1933, they turned the castle into a political prison for communists, homosexuals, Jews, and other “undesirables”.
How many POWs escaped from Colditz Castle?
It is estimated that over 4,000 British and Allied personnel escaped or evaded capture across Europe during the Second World War. At Colditz, there were more than 30 successful escape attempts including ten by British and Commonwealth Officers.
How many prisoners were there in Colditz?
Yet, through ingenious tunneling and various ruses, prisoners on some 130 occasions managed to clear the fortress grounds. A total of 32 prisoners managed to reach the frontier without recapture. Colditz fell to the U.S. Army in April 1945.
Why is Colditz Castle in Germany so famous?
For many, Colditz Castle is infamous for being the site of Oflag IV-C, a prisoner of war camp that housed Allied officers during World War II. In 1933, the German government converted the property into a political prison for Jewish people, Communists, homosexuals and others they deemed to be “undesirable.”
When was Colditz Castle converted into a prison camp?
Colditz Castle in 2011. After the outbreak of World War II, the castle was converted into a high security prisoner-of-war camp for officers who had become security or escape risks or who were regarded as particularly dangerous.
What was Colditz used for in WW2?
Colditz Castle The Famous WWII POW Camp Starting in 1940, this gloomy, Saxon castle above a small town in eastern Germany was used to house the most “difficult” of the Allied POWs. Colditz Castle 1943
Who was the first British prisoner of war in Colditz?
The camp’s first British prisoners were the Laufen Six on November 7, 1940, who were transferred to Colditz after their first escape attempt from the Laufen Camp . Although it was considered a high security prison, it had one of the greatest records of successful escape attempts.