Stalag Luft III - Kriegsgefangenen Lager der Luftwaffe - Sagan

Stalag Luft III - Kriegsgefangenen Lager der Luftwaffe - Sagan

It was mid October, the weather outside was raw, with wet snow already on the ground; one would rather stay inside by a fireplace with a good book, but not me. I packed my already made sandwiches, a thermos with a hot tea and made a last weather check before I headed out of the door. The weather did not look too good for today. The forecast was calling for rain showers all day with temperatures only few degrees above freezing. A perfect day to get a feeling of how it was like more then 65 years ago at Stalag Luft III in Sagan.

As I drove across the snow covered Jizera Mountains, which are on the border between Czech Republic and Poland, I entered the lowlands of Silesia in Poland. The snow disappeared and even the rain stopped for now. I arrived in Zagan (Sagan), Poland in a little over 2 hours.

 
A drive to Zagan, somewhere in Poland

Stalag Luft III was located at Sagan, 100 miles southeast of Berlin in what is now Poland. The camp was one of six operated by the Luftwaffe for downed British RAF and American airmen and reported to General Command Luftwaffe in Berlin. It was constructed on sandy areas cleared of vegetation to prevent tunneling. A part of the whole prison camp complex was also Stalag VIII C, which was mainly for land soldiers of different nationalities, such as the French, Russian, British, and others.

Stalag Luft III camp was famous for the most number of attempted escapes. The biggest of them was organized by a secret "X" Committee established by the prisoners in spring 1943 and lead by Major Roger Bushell. It took place on the night of 24 March 1944. Eighty prisoners made it outside from the North Compound through a 360 ft (110 meter) tunnel, which was 32 ft (10 meters) deep. After the escape was revealed and alarms were raised, four prisoners were caught by the tunnel exit. A big hunt began on the whole territory of the Reich. Consequently, only three of the prisoners managed to avoid the traps and chases, whereas the remaining 73 were caught by the Nazis. It was the biggest escape ever from the Sagan camp. In pursuance of Hitler's personal order called "Sagan Befehl", 50 of the unsuccessful POWs were put before the firing squad.

There were different nationalities between the eighty prisoners who made their way through “Harry”, such the British, Canadians, Polish, Australians, Dutch, Norwegians and others including 3 Czechoslovaks. One of the Czechoslovak airmen was Arnost Valenta, who was later recaptured and shot by the Gestapo. A. Valenta’s co-pilot on his fateful flight was Col. Petr Uruba, who was a great friend of our Museum in Kovarska and it was Col. Petr Uruba, who with Col. Neifert from the US Embassy renamed the street where our Museum is located to Albert Trommer Street.

In 1947 eighteen executioners who followed the order were put before the English Military Tribunal in Hamburg. Fourteen of them were sentenced to death (in the end, thirteen of them were executed), while the rest received heavy imprisonment sentences.

The escapes from the Sagan camp was recreated in the movie "The Great Escape" produced in the 1960’s, starring Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson.

My first stop was at the Museum of Allied Prisoners of War, which is located by the main road on the outskirts of Zagan and is hard to miss. A large memorial to the victims of Stalag VIII C is located in front of the Museum, additionally a mock-up of the Harry tunnel and a German guard tower are located near by. In the ground an excellent “Tunnel Experience” has been created, partly underground, but mostly topped with Perspex. It's complete with a replica trolley and one can experience what it was like hauling sand out of the tunnel “Harry” and scooting along on the wheeled contraption. Numerous personal items which were located on the grounds of both Stalag VIII C and Stalag Luft III are displayed inside the Museum, including a large scale model of the “famous” North Compound. The display cases are very well organized. Mirek, one of the Polish guides at the Museum, gave me the tour of the Museum and of a reconstructed wooden barrack. The parameters of the barrack are of the original ones from the time of the camp existence. In the barrack there are reconstructed prisoner rooms, as well as temporary and permanent exhibitions. The Museum is open every day, except Mondays. 

Museum in Zagan – Stalag VIII C Memorial 

 

The Museum of Allied Prisoners of War 

  

Mock up of the tunnel “Harry” with a guard tower 

Inside of the tunnel “Harry” mock up

After leaving the Museum, I drove to the rear entrance of the Zagan railway station. After the “Great Escape” in March 1944, a number of Officers unsuccessfully search in the dark for this entrance, which led to the platforms. After they reached the platforms, and dawn started to brake out, they hardly dared to look around as they tried to ignore each other. The train was running 3 hours late.  

Railway station in Zagan

Not far from the railway station is the Mausoleum of Stalag Luft III. After the Great Escape, 50 of the 73 Officers who were recaptured were later shot by the Gestapo. In the summer of 1944 a special tomb was build by the prisoners in the shape of an altar for 50 urns with the ashes of those murdered. On the three tablets of the tomb, the names of “The 50” and their military ranks are inscribed. I placed a small wreath near the memorial and lighted a candle and just stood there. Not a sound was heard, only the sound of rain and the scent of the pine forest in the air. I read the names of the Officers… H. Birkland, E. G. Brettell, W. J. Grisman, R. J. Stevens, A. Valenta, H. J. Milford, …. a very emotional moment.
 

A memorial dedicated to the 50 Allied airmen shot
after the “Great Escape”

A sign guided me in the direction of what now remains of Stalag Luft III. The North Compound with the outlines of the tunnel Harry is located about a half mile from the main road. The different Compounds are connected with dirt roads and it’s easy to move around by car from site to site. 

The first compound (East Compound) of the camp was opened on 21 March 1942. The first prisoners or kriegies, as they called themselves, to be housed at Stalag Luft III were British RAF and Fleet Air Arm officers, arriving in April 1942. The Centre compound was opened on 11 April 1942. Originally built for British sergeants but by the end of 1942 replaced by Americans. The North Compound was for British airmen, where the Great Escape occurred, opened on 29 March 1943. A South Compound for Americans was opened in September 1943 and the West Compound was opened in July 1944 for U.S. officers. Each compound consisted of fifteen single story barracks. Each 10 feet (3.0 m) x 12 feet (3.7 m) bunkroom slept fifteen men in five triple deck bunks. Eventually the camp grew to approximately 60 acres (24 ha) in size and housed about 2,500 RAF officers, about 7,500 U.S. Army Air Corps, and about 900 officers from other Allied air forces, for a total of 10,949 inmates. Many of the shot down airmen from the 100th Bomb Group were kept at the South and West Compound. Frank Murphy, a former navigator with the 100th Bomb Group described his stay at Stalag Luft III – South Compound in his book Luck of the Draw.

I parked the car by the side of the dirt road and started to explore the area around the tunnel “Harry”.

 

Tunnel “Harry”

The tunnel line has been recreated on the surface using concrete edging and gravel. Memorial slabs at the starting point for “Harry” carry the names of the eighty men who made their bid for freedom.

 

Tunnel “Harry”

I walked the full length of the tunnel; the exit point is just across the forest road. The inscription on the memorial reads “To all the Allied Airmen – Prisoners of Stalag Luft III – Participants in the Great Escape”.  

 

Exit from the tunnel “Harry” with the memorial

The tunnel “Harry” was one of the three tunnels which were built as a part of preparations for the “Great Escape”. The entrance to the tunnel was in the sleeping section of barrack number 104 under the iron stove. It took 9 months to complete. Along the tunnel there were also two wider chambers, so called half-way stations named Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. A total of 132 tons of sand was dug out and disposed of by “Penguins” – a special group of prisoners, carrying the sand in long sacks hidden in their trousers and spreading the sand all over the camp ground. As the North Compound was only for RAF officers, no Americans took part in the “Great Escape”.

Only a few yards from the tunnel, I came across the remains of the camp hospital including its underground part. I took a look inside but as I did not a have flashlight I did not dare to take more then few steps inside the pitch dark hallway.

 

The camp hospital – North Compound

Near by, still in the North Compound is the water reservoir used as a fire pool and only a few yards away are the remains of the theatre. Each compound in Stalag Luft III had a special building used for cultural and educational activities. They were used mainly for theatre performances and film shows.

 

Theatre - North Compound

Walking down these ominously dark pine woods alone it was easy to come across more remains of different barracks including the location for tunnel Dick and Tom.
I returned back to my car and drove to the South and West Compound (American compounds). I did not have much luck locating more remains of the camp, except a fire pool and latrines in the West compound. Without success I searched the woods for the remains of the theatre in the South Compound, the same theatre in which Frank Murphy (100th BG) played a clarinet and tenor saxophone with a fifteen-piece band who called themselves the Luftbandsters with a full set of instruments supplied by the Red Cross. There are a number of different information signs in four different languages around Stalag Luft III with information about the particular location, but what is missing, are signs guiding you to these locations. It’s more less a hit and miss walk through these pine woods.

 

Fire pool – West Compound

I took a quantity of sand mixture from the West Compound, and have a limited amount to send out to those who are interested.

My shoes and socks were soaking wet when I returned back to my car; the rain started to come down again. I decided it was time to leave Stalag Luft III. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to see the East and Centre Compounds, including the German HQ site. I am planning to return to Zagan sometimes in the future.

Written by Michal Holy,
October 2009

More photos from Michal's visit of Sagan you can see in his on-line collection:
http://atrdriver.rajce.idnes.cz/

At least four airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, shot down in "our" air battle on 11 September 1944, spent most of their POW time in SAGAN:

T/Sgt. Andrew G. Leuthold - TT/E of John S. Giles crew
T/Sgt. Walter F Jorgensen - TT/E of Joseph H. Raine crew
S/Sgt. John C Meacham - TG of Joseph H. Raine crew
Lt. John B Manniello - CP of Orville C. Everitt crew

 

Complete list of prisonners
from 100th BG, 95th BG and 55th FG
captured after the battle of 11th September 1944: 

100th Bomb Group

 

43-38076
S/Sgt. Harry D. Everhart - Stalag 4F + Work Camps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony

43-37863
Capt. John S. Giles - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. John M. Shelly - Undefined
Lt. Kenneth S. Welty - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Harry H. Skelton - Undefined
T/Sgt. Elzo Bevan - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
T/Sgt. Andrew G. Leuthold - Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser)
S/Sgt. Norbert O. De Pauw - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Albert S. Pela - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Robert B. Rowley - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)

43-37880
Lt. Paul E. Corley - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Howard J. Pfeffer - Undefined
Lt. Harry L. Cardon - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Joseph B. Allen - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
T/Sgt. Herbert J. Eisenberg - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
T/Sgt. Virgil C. McElroy - Undefined
S/Sgt. John F. McGinnis - Undefined
S/Sgt. Freder E. Dunwoodie - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Walter M. Seidel, Jr - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)

42-102657
Lt. Timothy H Bradshaw - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
S/Sgt. John C Kluttz - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Thomas C Kentes - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Charles E Wilson - Undefined

43-38043
Lt. Richard P Keirn - finally Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Jerome H Hutcheson - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Kenneth R Summers - finally Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
T/Sgt. Lester S Swink - Undefined
T/Sgt. Carl H Harre - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
S/Sgt. Otto Reichl - Stalag 9C Bad Sulza Saxe-Weimar

43-38047
Lt. Lew E Wallace - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
T/Sgt. Walter F Jorgensen - Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser)
S/Sgt. John C Meacham - Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser)

42-97834
Lt. John B Manniello - Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser)
Lt. Warren L Soden - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
S/Sgt. William E Kenney - Stalag 4F + Work Camps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony

42-97806
Lt. Charles D Chiles - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Donald H Lienemann - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Sgt. Eugene C Damrel - Stalag 9C Bad Sulza Saxe-Weimar

42-102695
Lt. Hugh E Holladay - Hohe Mark Hospital (Serves Dulag Luft) Oberursel Hessen-Nassau, Prussia
Lt. Howard E Potts - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Joseph D Michaud - Stalag 4F + Work Camps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony
T/Sgt. Nick E Marrale - Stalag 4F + Work Camps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony 51-12

43-38161
T/Sgt. William Terry - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)

42-97154
Lt. Edward F Neu - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Hugh R Davidson - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia

44-6089
Lt. George H Prater - Stalag 4F + Work Camps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony
Lt. Charles L Dolby - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
S/Sgt. Nestor A Celleghin - Undefined

 

95th Bomb Group

42-97334
Lt. Vance R. Mooring - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Carl R.Swanson - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Alfred P. Janson - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Lt. Robert Moerke  - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia
Sgt. Charles P. Stein - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
Sgt. F. Aliveto - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
Sgt. Thomas H. Merriman - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
Sgt. W. P. Martin - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)
Sgt. J. G.Weber - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust)

 

55th Fighter Group

44-13724
Lt. Wayne E. Rosenoff - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia