Stalag Luft III Sagen. 'The Great Escape'

[stgeorge64]

A short time ago I was lucky enough to visit Stalag Luft III, Sagen.......the scene of the Great Escape. Situated in the woodland of Silesia, the camp iteslf is mostly overgrown however, there is a nice little museum and the nothern compound has a marker laid down on top of the tunnel "Harry". The foundations of some buildings remain within the nothern compound and I cannot reccommend a visit highly enough. I will now post some photos from the museum, the compound itself, Sagen railway station and the memorial to those murdered following the escape.

Regards Richard.

#1 A model of the northern compound in the museum...........

[stgeorge64]

#2.......another shot of the model, you can see the marker representing 'Harry'............

[stgeorge64]

#3..........a plaque commemoring the murdered 50.........

[stgeorge64]

#4......some recovered artefacts...........

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#5............some more dig-ups..........

[stgeorge64]

#6............some of which are nicely marked........

[stgeorge64]

#7...............leaflet produced by the Germans and used as toilet paper by the prisoners...........

[stgeorge64]

#8............outside the museum a watch tower has been reconstructed........

[stgeorge64]

#9............a tunnel has also been recreated which you can go inside.......

[stgeorge64]

#10..........clearly demonstrating how cramped the tunnel really was......

[stgeorge64]

#11............imagine the adrenalin of the prisoners as they were pulled along this railway line........

[stgeorge64]

#12...............now to the tunnel entrance for 'Harry'. Situated in hut 104 underneath the stove...............the tunnel exhibits are above the actual tunnel...........

[stgeorge64]

#13.......the exit........slightly short of the tree line due to a mis-calculation in the planning............

[stgeorge64]

#14......and the Polish memorial to mark the spot...........

[stgeorge64]

#15............now look at the distance the tunnellers dug...........photo showing the entrance and exit..........the distance was shocking when actually realised..........