Escape From Colditz! The British Plan To Glide Out Of Colditz Castle

During the Second World War, Colditz Castle gained a notorious name as an un-escapable German prisoner of war camp. It housed mainly officers of different nationalities, however the prisoners were intent on escaping. Goring initially claimed that escape would be impossible but over 30 allied prisoners managed the feat in many different ways.
One of the most remarkable plans to escape the fortification came in the form of the 'Colditz Cock Glider.' Inside the prison a number of British officers would work tirelessly to create a huge actual gliding aircraft that would have been launched off the top of the Chapel in Colditz. A full scale glider was actually made using stolen wood in a remarkable feat of engineering. The German guards had become so accustomed to looking for tunnels that the officers that they didn't think to look for hidden workshops. The officers that made the glider would work tirelessly to get it finished incase the SS would arrive at the castle.
The Colditz glider would never fly after the Americans would liberate Colditz at the end of the Second World War. However the feat of engineering would be tested later to see if it was possibly to glide from the castle to safety over the river. You'd never guess the results of the test!
So join us today as we look at, 'The Amazing British Plan To Glide Out Of Colditz.'
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Music by: I am a man who will fight for your honour by Chris Zabriskie

[@mcpacefrenchcoremafia1640]

What men absolute legends

[@sunseeker8457]

The story of why they stopped work on the glider was that at the same time they were building it. There was the mass escape of 76 PoW's from Stalag Luft III (The famous film The Great Escape). While only 3 of the 76 men made it back home. 50 of the escaped men were shot and killed. And the German's issued notice to all Pow's everywhere that they would be shot if they were court escaping. After this the British home office issued notice that they felt that no more lives should be wasted on escaping has the Allies were winning the war and it was coming to an end. So the men of Coldiz stopped working on the glider. Although men still tried to escape from Coldiz. The camp commendant did not agree to shoot them. Instead they spent 30 day's in the cooler.

[@johndoogan3712]

I remember reading about this in a book at school in 1968, it was truly an inspirational story, especially for a schoolboy. I learned that the plans were examined by experts who concluded that it would have flown. Years later, I watched the documentary of the replica's flight and to see this symbol of the free world in flight was truly 👏 👏 👏 awesome.

[@Mark.G475]

Book by Paul Reid I believe. I read the book in the 1970s as a kid! Loved it. Alot of Americans don't know the story. Mark from Milwaukee Wisconsin 🇺🇸

[@johndoogan3712]

Mark Galassini An original copy of the same book as the one in the Colditz castle library was recently listed for sale on eBay.ca, the Canadian site.

[@johndoogan3712]

Look up 'Colditz cock parts 1, 2 and 3 on KZbin. This is a documentary detailing the story with the original characters with the construction and flight of the replica.

[@Mark.G475]

@@johndoogan3712 thank you I will!

[@Mark.G475]

@@johndoogan3712 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGaVm5ajqMaFrNE This is good! Former British officer goes back to Colditz.

[@allgood6760]

Thanks!... I used to have the board game of Colditz👍🇳🇿

[@allgood6760]

@@nanetteserzfeind9820 Yep... a board game called Escape From Colditz👍🇳🇿

[@blizzardmichael]

Brilliant. Thank You.

[@davehoward22]

You could imagine someone trying to built some kind of primative hang glider or try parachute off the roof, but to build an aircraft in a high security prison is unbelievable.

[@crawleytownelites5435]

Only 1k god so underrated

[@TheUntoldPast]

Thanks mate!

[@nicholasgoldstonegh6052]

In fact Mr Golfinchs name is not Bill or William..... It is in fact Leslie James Edward Goldfinch, he was my Grandfathers Cousin, Leslie was born in 1916 in Whitstable and the majority of my fathers side of my family are in East Kent... If you're interested I have more info directly associated with Leslie and Stalag Luft 3 and his escape from there after the "Great Escape" which he was involved with (planning and digging of the tunnels) All the best... Nick 👍😎👍

[@6stringstu]

thanks helped with my homework

[@TheUntoldPast]

Thank you! :) Glad to have helped!

[@6stringstu]

i liked and subed

[@madv40mike]

Great video. One question do you have the name of the propagation video on how to escape?

[@cat-i-paw4417]

There's a copy (though lower quality) if you search for "TF 21-1973 Escape" on Internet Archive (archive dot org). It's Korean War era and the first clip shown here starts just after the 35-min mark.

[@mikeliveish]

Was there a film made about this escape ?

[@patreidcocolditzcastle632]

ahh the best little part of ww 2 history..i highly recommend 70s bbc series Colditz.great actors and a run down of life inside and outside of colditz castle pow camp

[@nazarderkach9320]

Quite literally the most Florida man aircraft ever.

[@jameswhite7693]

Seems like a load of hot water to me

[@davidnolan1276]

We're going home,lads are going home,2 wars under our belt,there coming home,all the allies are dreaming😁⚽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@gregorydahl]

Wash tub . Probably not bathtub .

[@keithmarston9822]

the film is caled the birdmen

[@ThuyNguyen-bs3bs]

Nơi này tôi đã sống và làm việc 1988 - 1990 làm ở nhà máy sứ pozlanwe

[@raymondhavatone1205]

Check out nova special

[@Ed_Jr0763]

What is wrong with this person’s voice? Why do his sentences go trailing off like songs?! Please hire a new narrator!