Colditz Castle

Colditz Castle is a castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany ({{coor dms|51|7|38.208|N|12|48|30.384|E|}}). Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it became notorious as Oflag IVc or Offizier Lager IVc (Officer's Camp IVc), a prisoner-of-war camp for "incorrigible" allied officers who had repeatedly escaped from other camps, as well as volksfeindlich (those "treasonous against the people") during World War II.

Colditz Castle in popular culture

Colditz Castle has been the inspiration for both television and film due to the widely popular retellings by Pat Reid and Airey Neave. This started as early as 1955 with the release of The Colditz Story, continuing until 2005 with the Colditz mini-series. The escape stories of Colditz Castle have even inspired several board and video games.

Related Topics:
1955 - 2005

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Film and Television

• The Colditz Story (1955) was a dramatic film re-enactment of life in the camp during WW2, based entirely on the novels of Pat Reid, directed by Guy Hamilton, who would later go on to direct three of the James Bond movies. Although some fictional content was added to embellish the situations, it was predominantly historically accurate. The film portrays life inside the camp and the escape attempts, starting with two captured British POW's arrival at the castle. It starred John Mills as Pat Reid, Bryan Forbes as Jimmy Winslow, and Ian Carmichael as Robin Cartwright. It was also nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award in 1956. It has been called an "Outstanding factual World War Two drama about Allied POW's held in Germany's most secure wartime prison." http://www.britmovie.co.uk/genres/drama/filmography/031.html More information regarding the film and the cast can be seen at {{imdb title|id=0047945|title=The Colditz Story}}.
• The Birdmen (1971) was a television movie loosely based off of Pat Reid's book. This movie is of note in that it is the first movie based on Pat Reid's books to reference the Colditz glider. More information regarding the film and the cast can be seen at {{imdb title|id=0066833|title=The Birdmen}}.
• "Colditz" (1972-1974) was a dramatic television series aired on BBC1 television. It ran for a total of 28 episodes across two seasons, progressing in time from the opening of the camp until its liberation in 1945. The first three episodes of the series acted as an introduction to the plot of the show and introduced the viewers to the three central characters by following the events that led up to their arrival at the camp. The series was a joint production between the BBC and Universal TV (an American company), but for reasons unknown, it never aired in the United States. Episodes 24 "A Very Important Person" and 25 "Chameleon" did however air in the US as a two hour TV movie entitled Escape From Colditz, in 1974. A review of the film was printed in the newspaper The News Of The World, which praised it saying: "It has all the realism, dignity and courage of the men it commemorates." Its more notable actors were Jack Hedley as Lieutenant Colonel John Preston from 1972-74, Edward Hardwicke as Captain Pat Grant from 1972-73, Robert Wagner as Major Phil Carrington from 1972-74, David McCallum as Flight Lieutenant Simon Carter from 1972-74, and Dan O'Herlihy as Lieutenant Colonel Max Dodd in 1974. More information regarding the film and the cast can be seen at {{imdb title|id=0068059|title="Colditz"}}
• Escape from Colditz (2001) was a British television movie. More information regarding the film and the cast can be seen at {{imdb title|id=0290599|title=Escape from Colditz}}
• "Colditz" (2005) was a mini-series on ITV1, based on Henry Chancellor's book Colditz: The Definitive History, directed by Stuart Orme. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2904071.stm This tale is much more fictional than its predecessors, with fictional characters and situations that are merely based on real people and events. http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/entertainment/filmandtv/tv/s/151/151924_damians_marriage_escape.html It features Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills 90210) as Rhett Barker, James Fox as Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Fordham, Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers) as Nicholas McGrade, Tom Hardy (Black Hawk Down) as Jack Rose, Sophia Myles (Thunderbirds) as Lizzie, and Timothy West as Warren. More information regarding the film and the cast can be seen at {{imdb title|id=0415407|title="Colditz"}}

Computer and Video Games

• Escape from Castle Colditz — a board game from Invicta Games in 1972. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/5742
• Escape from Colditz — a board game from Parker Brothers in 1973. This game was designed by Pat Reid. http://www.boardgamecompany.co.uk/ColditzParker(VG135).htm
• Escape from Colditz — a board game from Gibson Games (remake of the Parker Brothers game) in the 1980s. http://www.boardgamecompany.co.uk/ColditzGibson(VG126).htm
• Escape from Colditz — an Amiga computer game from Digital Magic Software in 1991. This is a digital version of the Gibsons Games board game. http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=1223
• Skedaddle! — a board game from Crowhurst Games (remake of the Parker Brothers game) in 1992. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/11267
• Wolfenstein 3D — a computer and video game originally released in 1992. Although not taking place in Colditz Castle, does seem to draw loosely from the escape stories related to it.
• Prisoner of War — a video game from Codemasters for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and computer in 2001.
• Commandos 2 — the team of commandos are trapped in the castle, and they must escape.