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Collecting Colditz: A Unique Pictorial Record of Life Behind the Walls
Over forty years of research has resulted in this exceptional photographic history of life within Colditz Castle, the infamous Second World War prisoner of war camp in Germany, which housed such illustrious names as Douglas Bader, Lorne Welch, Micky Burns and Jack Best.
Michael Booker has accumulated a wealth of information from talking to ex-POWs, as well as the German commandant Prawitt and the head of security Captain Eggers. He relates fascinating and hitherto unpublished stories of British, Polish and French prisoners, and their many and varied attempts to escape. In addition, he has amassed a large collection of artifacts and memorabilia, some never seen before, many of which are reproduced throughout this book.
Personal recollections abound, and characters like Pat Reid, Dick Howe and Sir Rupert Barry offer their insight into camp activities. This entire collection, sumptuously illustrated, stands as a testament to those who were incarcerated there and is a valuable reference on the subject.
Michael Booker has accumulated a wealth of information from talking to ex-POWs, as well as the German commandant Prawitt and the head of security Captain Eggers. He relates fascinating and hitherto unpublished stories of British, Polish and French prisoners, and their many and varied attempts to escape. In addition, he has amassed a large collection of artifacts and memorabilia, some never seen before, many of which are reproduced throughout this book.
Personal recollections abound, and characters like Pat Reid, Dick Howe and Sir Rupert Barry offer their insight into camp activities. This entire collection, sumptuously illustrated, stands as a testament to those who were incarcerated there and is a valuable reference on the subject.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 9, 2013
If you are into anything Colditz then do seriously consider buying this book. Colditz came to the attention of the British public after Pat Reid's book 'The Colditz Story' and a film and later a BBC TV series was made on the prison camp for escapers. A 'bad boys camp'.
The author Michael Booker is someone who is steeped in Colditz history. He started collecting Postal History associated with POW Camps in 1956 after completing his National Service in Germany. Many of his items of memorabilia that he had collected over the years were loaned to the makers of the BBC TV series 'Colditz' to help them in preparing suitable props.
Colditz came to his attention in 1959/60 so he has been collecting memorabilia associated with OFLAG IVC since then. At a time when few were interested in WW2 he was able to acquire signed postal covers and Colditz artifacts from many of the British POW's including the SBO's (Senior British Officers), POW's from other countries at Colditz, German guards and liberating American Officers.
He was fortunate to meet many of the POW veterans and some of the German Guards over the years.
The book has many outstanding photographs and copies of relevant original documents including some letters in and out of Colditz, postcards from successful POW home run officers and POW identity cards etc.
There is a chapter about Mike Sinclair - The Great Escaper who was the only officer shot and killed in the grounds of Colditz during an attempted escape.
There is a chapter 'Food for Thought' on the very meagre food supplied by the Germans and how grateful POW's were for Red Cross food parcels which supplemented their poor diet for a few years but rarely during the latter year when communications were breaking down.
You can't help but feel sorry for the seven Commando's who had attempted a raid in Norway and were caught in the process. They were briefly held at Colditz before being sent on to Berlin and then to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where they were shot. This was due to Hitler's instruction on the 'Commando Order' that all caught Commando's and saboteurs after interrogation would be shot.
There is also a chapter about the German officer Captain Reinhold Eggers, who was a Security Officer at Colditz from November 1940 and Chief of Security from 1944 to the liberation on April 16th 1945. He was intially confined by the American army but was released as he had no involvement with the Nazi's. However in 1946 he was living in the Russian Zone and was tricked into being arrested and spent 10 years in Sachsenhausen and later Torgau camps. In that time he was allowed to send one letter out and receive one letter back from his wife from each camp. So two letters in ten years. Both of these letters were handed to Michael Booker in the latter years of Reinhold Eggers and one is shown in the book.
The book can be tackled either as a dip-in book or one to read from cover to cover, but in my opinion a must-have book.
The author Michael Booker is someone who is steeped in Colditz history. He started collecting Postal History associated with POW Camps in 1956 after completing his National Service in Germany. Many of his items of memorabilia that he had collected over the years were loaned to the makers of the BBC TV series 'Colditz' to help them in preparing suitable props.
Colditz came to his attention in 1959/60 so he has been collecting memorabilia associated with OFLAG IVC since then. At a time when few were interested in WW2 he was able to acquire signed postal covers and Colditz artifacts from many of the British POW's including the SBO's (Senior British Officers), POW's from other countries at Colditz, German guards and liberating American Officers.
He was fortunate to meet many of the POW veterans and some of the German Guards over the years.
The book has many outstanding photographs and copies of relevant original documents including some letters in and out of Colditz, postcards from successful POW home run officers and POW identity cards etc.
There is a chapter about Mike Sinclair - The Great Escaper who was the only officer shot and killed in the grounds of Colditz during an attempted escape.
There is a chapter 'Food for Thought' on the very meagre food supplied by the Germans and how grateful POW's were for Red Cross food parcels which supplemented their poor diet for a few years but rarely during the latter year when communications were breaking down.
You can't help but feel sorry for the seven Commando's who had attempted a raid in Norway and were caught in the process. They were briefly held at Colditz before being sent on to Berlin and then to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where they were shot. This was due to Hitler's instruction on the 'Commando Order' that all caught Commando's and saboteurs after interrogation would be shot.
There is also a chapter about the German officer Captain Reinhold Eggers, who was a Security Officer at Colditz from November 1940 and Chief of Security from 1944 to the liberation on April 16th 1945. He was intially confined by the American army but was released as he had no involvement with the Nazi's. However in 1946 he was living in the Russian Zone and was tricked into being arrested and spent 10 years in Sachsenhausen and later Torgau camps. In that time he was allowed to send one letter out and receive one letter back from his wife from each camp. So two letters in ten years. Both of these letters were handed to Michael Booker in the latter years of Reinhold Eggers and one is shown in the book.
The book can be tackled either as a dip-in book or one to read from cover to cover, but in my opinion a must-have book.
March 17, 2016
This is a story of Booker’s collection of memorabilia associated with the famous WW2 PoW camp, Colditz Castle. Colditz entered the public imagination from the daring escape attempts of its internees, including the construction of the Colditz Glider, which was furthered with the BBC series in the 1970s in which Booker’s collection featured. Like the collection, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, the narrative is an eclectic mix of history and personal anecdote. An informative read for those with an interest in this aspect of the history of WW2.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews