259:, known as the Great Escape. Sometimes the studious type could also be an escapist. Amongst these types was also a sprinkling of the POW Warburg eccentrics. A case study being Foster's friend F/O McHardy, who was an officer known by his comrades as 'Fou.' Fou was an artist and lived in a room at the end of Fosters hut with two other artists. They constantly challenged what was standardised. They chose to sit on the floor whilst eating meals. They went by a time system that was two hours ahead of the camps time. This time system had an advantage, in that they would find the camp stove to themselves at eating times. They also had a pet mouse called Freddie, which ate alongside them with its own bowl. In a peculiarity they had a court-martial for the mouse, after the mouse got caught stealing their food. Fou would go on to captivate and hoax an audience with a lecture about a non existent German professor's Calculus.
58:
141:
309:
42:
278:, led a party of 10 POWs disguised as orderlies, and two more disguised as guards complete with dummy rifles, up to the gates of the camp. The sentry was not satisfied with their gate pass, so Stevens marched his party back into the camp. As the sentry was apparently unaware that the party was not genuine, a second attempt was made a week later. This time the sentry demanded to see their Army paybooks, so the escape party fled, although two,
243:
about the conditions, with the guard believing that if they harassed the camp command about the conditions, the camp would be closed down. The guard, who wanted an easier posting also stated to Foster, "We are prisoners as much as you are." Foster explained the prisoners were housed in huts which held 50 to 60 men. In 1941, all lighting was provided by two acetylene lamps in each barrack. though later on electric lighting was provided.
65:
242:
The serial escaper Eric Foster in his autobiography explained that upon arrival he chatted to a guard to ask about the conditions of the camp. Foster explained the guard confided, "the camp was a very, very bad camp indeed". Foster stressed that this guard desperately wanted the prisoners to complain
293:
officer Major B.D. Skelton ("Skelly") Ginn fused the perimeter floodlights, 41 prisoners carrying four 12-foot (3.7 m) scaling ladders made from bed slats rushed to the barbed-wire fence and clambered over. One ladder collapsed, so of the 41 involved, only 28 escaped the camp, and only three of
250:
and now
Warburg, made observations about camp life. He observed three types of prisoner of war inside Warburg: the Zizzer, who would be a prisoner who was happy-go-lucky; the studious type, who was always concerned he was being left behind at home and who would be catered for by the Red Cross with
316:
The
British had begun an escape tunnel, and the Poles continued working on it, and on 20 September 1943, 47 of them escaped. Within four days, 20 had been captured and returned to the camp. They were then transported to the
305:, where they had been interned since September 1939, and another 1,500 transferred from other camps in Germany. At various points in time up to 2296 officers and 287 non-commissioned officers were housed in the camp.
347:, dropped some bombs on the camp, killing 90 officers. Altogether 141 prisoners died in Oflag VI-B. They are buried in the cemetery near the centre of the village of Dossel. A memorial was erected there in 1985.
1255:
1260:
856:"Stanisław Bożywoj Rutkowski, Pamiętnik z oflagów 1939–1945, wstęp, oprac. i red. nauk. Wojciech Polak, Sylwia Galij--Skarbińska, Toruń: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, 2018, ss. 251"
200:
123:
251:
study classes and examinations up to first year university standard; and the escapist, which included people like himself and his friend the Polish officer
1270:
412:
489:
1265:
220:
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57:
1231:
286:
were eventually arrested after a camp search by Major
Rademacher found a piece of cloth on them that was used to create the sentry uniforms.
88:
457:, Polish Ministry of Labour (1972–74), Polish Central Statistical Office President (1965–72), escaped from Oflag VI-B on 20 September 1943
289:
On 30 August 1942 the camp was the scene of "Operation
Olympia", also known as the "Warburg Wire Job", another mass escape attempt. After
231:
In 1939, before it was a POW camp, the area was originally planned to be an airfield. The POW camp was opened in
September 1940. At first
1189:
1170:
894:
332:
British prisoners were taught by one officer, Major Alexis
Casdagli, to sew with unravelled jumpers and needles and threads from
919:
399:
329:
where they were killed. Only 10 managed to remain free, some returning to Poland, others finding their way to the Allied lines.
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who was described as generous and a great gambler. Król would later be executed following the escape from
204:
32:
448:
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252:
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Eric Foster who was captured in June 1940 and up to 1942 had served time in Dulag Luft, Spangenberg,
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212:
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778:
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351:
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In
September 1942 the British prisoners were transferred to other camps, and were replaced with
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On the night of 27 September 1944 British aircraft attacking the nearby railroad junction in
333:
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466:
256:
855:
420:
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236:
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469:
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366:. Journals of ex-Polish prisoners are kept in the Central Prisoners of War Museum in
283:
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460:
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169:
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262:
The camp was the setting for two remarkable escape attempts. On 1 December 1941
1162:
Zero Night: The Untold Story of the Second World War's Most Daring Great Escape
954:
1160:
1082:
1035:
998:
Urban, Renata (2021). "Polscy olimpijczycy w niemieckich obozach jenieckich".
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405:
337:
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871:
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90:
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and executed. In the next few days 17 more were captured and taken to the
887:
Threads of life : a history of the world through the eye of a needle
326:
247:
1151:
322:
302:
216:
197:
28:
947:"Sergeant Pilot William A. Brew; From Pilot to POW in One Short Sweep"
312:
Graves of Polish prisoners of war who died or were killed in the camp
298:
232:
479:
Flying
Officer Dominic Bruce RAF, the "Medium Sized Man" of Colditz
1182:
Life Hangs by a Silken Thread: An
Autobiography by Squadron Leader
494:
402:
RAFVR fighter pilot and serial escaper (October 1941 – June 1942).
371:
307:
269:
754:""For you Tommy, the war is over": Escape and Evasion in Europe"
656:
654:
652:
650:
648:
646:
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642:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
340:
letters home with symbols of freedom such as butterflies.
889:. London: Sceptre (Hodder & Stoughton). p. 59.
389:
RAF, legless
British air ace (October 1941 to May 1942).
924:
Centralne Muzeum Jeńców Wojennych w Łambinowicach-Opolu
596:
594:
592:
211:), 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the village of
1256:
World War II prisoner of war massacres by Nazi Germany
180:
175:
165:
157:
152:
134:
129:
119:
82:
21:
979:. Free Czechoslovak Air Force. 20 February 2011
1261:World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Germany
223:, British, Polish and other Allied officers.
8:
18:
523:
521:
519:
517:
515:
692:
682:(Supplement). 14 May 1946. p. 2340.
490:List of prisoner-of-war camps in Germany
16:World War II German prisoner-of-war camp
830:"Jak polscy oficerowie uciekli Niemcom"
828:Jóźwiak, Krzysztof (11 November 2017).
511:
362:In 1960 Polish survivors organized the
758:The Second World War Experience Centre
660:
633:
612:
600:
583:
1127:. Henley: Bentwyck Henry Publishers.
918:Rezler-Wasielewska, Violetta (2012).
860:Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka
7:
1142:Graham, Jimmy; Thomas, Jack (1946).
779:"Mass Escapes from German POW Camps"
463:, Polish Foreign Secretary (1956–68)
433:, Polish Olympic medalist in fencing
411:, ornithologist and Director of the
336:parcels, and they made bookmarks or
184:French, British, and Polish officers
1146:. Redhill: Surrey Fine Art Press.
920:"Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej -"
805:"Wielka ucieczka Polaków z Dössel"
301:officers, with 1,077 brought from
64:
14:
1271:1945 disestablishments in Germany
1073:"Brigadier Jock Hamilton-Baillie"
1180:Foster, Eric (1 February 1992).
139:
63:
56:
40:
1125:Caught! Prisoner of War No. 487
559:"Kriegsgefangenenlager (Liste)"
529:"POW camp (Oflag) VI B Doessel"
1266:1940 establishments in Germany
350:The camp was liberated by the
1:
1184:. England: Astia Publishing.
1000:Łambinowicki rocznik muzealny
472:RAF, who served more time in
319:Buchenwald concentration camp
46:Preserved walls of Oflag VI-B
239:officers were housed there.
1287:
476:than any other British POW
752:Liddle, Peter H. (2012).
51:
39:
26:
1218:Tunstall, Peter (2014).
1123:Belson, Dorrien (2003).
272:, disguised as a German
1165:. London: Icon Books.
885:Hunter, Clare (2019).
854:Stanek, Piotr (2018).
313:
219:) in Germany. It held
33:North Rhine-Westphalia
1203:. Privately printed.
1199:Mansel, John (1977).
1159:Felton, Mark (2014).
718:. 17 September 2001.
706:"Major 'Skelly' Ginn"
449:Jock Hamilton-Baillie
431:Władysław Dobrowolski
311:
945:Brew, Steve (2009).
474:solitary confinement
294:those made it home.
201:prisoner-of-war camp
176:Garrison information
124:Prisoner-of-war camp
104:51.51763°N 9.15169°E
1078:The Daily Telegraph
1031:The Daily Telegraph
711:The Daily Telegraph
663:, pp. 147–148.
636:, pp. 139–140.
423:, commander in the
100: /
1201:The Mansel Diaries
957:on 5 February 2012
679:The London Gazette
539:on 29 October 2017
440:, RAFVR pilot and
314:
135:Controlled by
1233:978-0-71564-923-7
1038:. 12 April 2008.
809:polska-zbrojna.pl
451:, serial escaper.
364:Klub Dösselczyków
354:on 3 April 1945.
188:
187:
109:51.51763; 9.15169
1278:
1237:
1220:The Last Escaper
1214:
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953:. Archived from
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695:, Location 3616.
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535:. Archived from
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455:Wincenty Kawalec
427:, September 1939
145:
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130:Site information
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1085:. 24 May 2003.
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563:Moosburg Online
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467:Squadron Leader
425:siege of Warsaw
418:Generał dywizji
380:
378:Notable inmates
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257:Stalag Luft III
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1222:. London, UK:
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1196:
1191:978-0951898307
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1177:
1171:
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1144:Joe in Germany
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1064:
1026:"Sydney Dowse"
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866:(4): 188–195.
846:
834:Rzeczpospolita
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605:
603:, p. 138.
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586:, p. 137.
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1006:. Opole: 45.
1005:
1002:(in Polish).
1001:
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978:
977:"Josef Bryks"
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661:Foster (1992)
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634:Foster (1992)
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615:, p. 59.
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613:Foster (1992)
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584:Foster (1992)
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284:Dominic Bruce
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280:Pete Tunstall
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275:Unteroffizier
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267:Peter Stevens
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215:(now part of
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209:Offizierlager
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1161:
1143:
1124:
1102:. Retrieved
1076:
1067:
1055:. Retrieved
1029:
1020:
1003:
999:
993:
981:. Retrieved
971:
959:. Retrieved
955:the original
950:
940:
928:. Retrieved
923:
913:
886:
880:
863:
859:
849:
838:. Retrieved
833:
823:
812:. Retrieved
808:
799:
787:. Retrieved
782:
773:
761:. Retrieved
757:
747:
735:. Retrieved
709:
700:
688:
677:
668:
608:
579:
567:. Retrieved
562:
553:
541:. Retrieved
537:the original
532:
461:Adam Rapacki
442:Great Escape
438:Sydney Dowse
409:Peter Conder
400:Czechoslovak
363:
361:
349:
342:
331:
315:
296:
288:
273:
261:
245:
241:
230:
227:Camp history
208:
195:World War II
190:
189:
170:World War II
166:Battles/wars
153:Site history
147:Nazi Germany
1117:POW memoirs
926:(in Polish)
836:(in Polish)
783:powvets.com
674:"No. 37568"
533:warberg.net
396:Josef Bryks
368:Łambinowice
338:embroidered
235:, and then
158:In use
107: /
83:Coordinates
1245:Categories
1210:0950391115
1152:B00166LN80
1134:1904538010
983:27 October
905:1079199690
840:2023-06-25
814:2023-06-25
543:7 November
506:References
500:Zero Night
374:, Poland.
325:prison in
253:Danny Krol
191:Oflag VI-B
92:51°31′03″N
71:Oflag VI-B
22:Oflag VI-B
1224:Duckworth
1091:0307-1235
1044:0307-1235
1012:0137-5199
872:0037-7511
724:0307-1235
444:survivor.
358:Aftermath
352:U.S. Army
334:Red Cross
181:Occupants
161:1940–1945
95:9°09′06″E
1104:17 April
1099:49632006
1057:17 April
1052:49632006
961:17 April
930:17 April
789:17 April
763:17 April
737:17 April
732:49632006
569:17 April
484:See also
327:Dortmund
205:officers
436:Flt Lt
370:, near
323:Gestapo
303:Romania
237:British
217:Warburg
29:Warburg
1251:Oflags
1230:
1207:
1188:
1169:
1150:
1131:
1097:
1089:
1083:London
1050:
1042:
1036:London
1010:
903:
893:
870:
785:. 2012
730:
722:
716:London
565:. 2012
384:Wg Cdr
299:Polish
264:Flt Lt
233:French
221:French
213:Dössel
198:German
193:was a
144:
495:Oflag
372:Opole
345:Nörde
270:RAFVR
248:Toruń
1228:ISBN
1205:ISBN
1186:ISBN
1167:ISBN
1148:ASIN
1129:ISBN
1106:2012
1095:OCLC
1087:ISSN
1059:2012
1048:OCLC
1040:ISSN
1008:ISSN
985:2017
963:2012
932:2012
901:OCLC
891:ISBN
868:ISSN
791:2012
765:2012
739:2012
728:OCLC
720:ISSN
571:2012
545:2018
413:RSPB
291:RAOC
282:and
203:for
120:Type
447:Lt
393:P/O
1247::
1226:.
1093:.
1081:.
1075:.
1046:.
1034:.
1028:.
1004:44
949:.
922:.
899:.
864:73
858:.
832:.
807:.
781:.
756:.
726:.
714:.
708:.
676:.
641:^
620:^
591:^
561:.
531:.
514:^
406:Lt
398:,
31:,
1236:.
1213:.
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