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Colditz: The German Story
This is an account of Colditz, the famous World War I POW camp, as seen from the German side. Reinhold Eggers, on staff there for the greater part of the war, relates how he discharged, with varying success, his duty of preventing escapes.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 13, 2015
Immortalised in the TV series Colditz by the character of Hauptman Ullmann Reinhold Eggers was one of the Security Officers at Kriegsgefangenenoffizierssonderlager 4C (sorry just love that word) from 1940 until it's capture by American Forces in April 1945. As an internationalist and teacher he spent the years between his release from the army in 1918 and 1933 forging links with schools and groups in the UK and France, and it was only being denounced to the new Nazi authorities that stopped these trips. On his recall to the army in 1939 his language skills made him a useful translator and led to him being posted to a POW camp at Hohnstein. The first section of this book discusses how this 'training' at Hohnstein could never have prepared him for the inveterate escape artists he would encounter in Coldirz. The rest oof the book is a reasonably chronological breakdown of the various escape attempts, as seen from the German forces attempting to stop them. It would seem that Eggers respected a good number of the would-be escapees and treated them with dignity, admittedly this is a book written by the man himself and could be seen as apologist in it's reading of events however it was edited by one of the former prisoners, and given the foreword that 'This man was our opponent, but nevertheless he earned our respect by his correct attitude, self-control and total lack of rancour despite all the harassment we gave him.' A number of former prisoners spoke for the man during his post-war trial and subsequent imprisonment by Soviet authorities, and it seems to be agreed that he really was a pretty decent individual trying to do the best he could in difficult times.
The book is well written with a huge range of material being covered, however I would recommend that some prior knowledge of events at the camp could be useful before reading this mainly because several are referred to throughout the text. It is amusing that Eggers often remained baffled by how escapes were carried out right up until he read the story from the view point of the prisoners. If you have any familiarity with the TV show, that was heavily based on Pat Reid's Colditz Story, then you will recognise a number of the escapes mentioned here. The nationalities may have been altered a little (the TV show SERIOUSLY simplified things, leaving out the Dutch and Belgian prisoners entirely for example and having the UK contingent a pretty homogeneous group instead of the mishmash of commonwealth nations from Canadians to Maoris that actually resided in the Castle.) but the facts remain the same. Either way it is fascinating for a Brit to have the story from such a unique German point of view.
The book is well written with a huge range of material being covered, however I would recommend that some prior knowledge of events at the camp could be useful before reading this mainly because several are referred to throughout the text. It is amusing that Eggers often remained baffled by how escapes were carried out right up until he read the story from the view point of the prisoners. If you have any familiarity with the TV show, that was heavily based on Pat Reid's Colditz Story, then you will recognise a number of the escapes mentioned here. The nationalities may have been altered a little (the TV show SERIOUSLY simplified things, leaving out the Dutch and Belgian prisoners entirely for example and having the UK contingent a pretty homogeneous group instead of the mishmash of commonwealth nations from Canadians to Maoris that actually resided in the Castle.) but the facts remain the same. Either way it is fascinating for a Brit to have the story from such a unique German point of view.
February 12, 2012
3.5 stars!
I want to make one thing clear, I enjoyed this book. I found it very interesting. It was great to hear about the castle and its prisoners from the view of the German staff. Also the information about what was happening in Germany politically at the time, there were things mentioned I had not read in other books regarding Colditz. I also warmed to Eggers and feel he was a good man. I didn't enjoy this as much as "The Colidtz Story" or "The latter days at Colditz" by Pat Reid and I think that was because I already knew the main incidents at Colditz from those books. I learnt some new stuff but quite a bit of it I had already read about before. I also did not find it as funny as the other books, although it had its moments of humour. I don't know if it was the translation but at times it did not read smoothly for me. I was quite tired when I read it so this may have hindered my enjoyment of it.
I recommend this book, for those with an interest in Colditz and even those without. I enjoyed it and found it very interesting, probably if it is the first book about Colditz you have read you may end up rating it higher :)
I want to make one thing clear, I enjoyed this book. I found it very interesting. It was great to hear about the castle and its prisoners from the view of the German staff. Also the information about what was happening in Germany politically at the time, there were things mentioned I had not read in other books regarding Colditz. I also warmed to Eggers and feel he was a good man. I didn't enjoy this as much as "The Colidtz Story" or "The latter days at Colditz" by Pat Reid and I think that was because I already knew the main incidents at Colditz from those books. I learnt some new stuff but quite a bit of it I had already read about before. I also did not find it as funny as the other books, although it had its moments of humour. I don't know if it was the translation but at times it did not read smoothly for me. I was quite tired when I read it so this may have hindered my enjoyment of it.
I recommend this book, for those with an interest in Colditz and even those without. I enjoyed it and found it very interesting, probably if it is the first book about Colditz you have read you may end up rating it higher :)
February 13, 2017
What an exciting account of colditz - from the other side! My favourite part has to be when the French officer escapes and makes it all the way back home to France, and then sends them a letter asking them to post his stuff to him! What a bloody cheek! Amazingly they did aswell.....!!!
Its books like this that prove fact is much stranger than fiction.
Its books like this that prove fact is much stranger than fiction.
May 12, 2018
Fascinating!
For anyone who has ever watched a PoW film, watched the Colditz tv series or read a book this book is a must. The writer was the Head of Security at Colditz and he gives a clear and easily understood account of the German side of this story. Where something may not be obvious to a non-German he explains, but otherwise pushes on with the story and does not allow himself to get sidetracked. The war outside Colditz is mentioned only fleetingly and briefly, this book is really about the relationships between prisoners and guards, and the ways in which the guards sought to stop break outs taking place, or to recapture those prisoners who did get away. It is full of surprises - such as the fact that when a prisoner got away the Red Cross would collect their personal belongings from the Germans and take them to the UK. Well written and interesting. Get it.
For anyone who has ever watched a PoW film, watched the Colditz tv series or read a book this book is a must. The writer was the Head of Security at Colditz and he gives a clear and easily understood account of the German side of this story. Where something may not be obvious to a non-German he explains, but otherwise pushes on with the story and does not allow himself to get sidetracked. The war outside Colditz is mentioned only fleetingly and briefly, this book is really about the relationships between prisoners and guards, and the ways in which the guards sought to stop break outs taking place, or to recapture those prisoners who did get away. It is full of surprises - such as the fact that when a prisoner got away the Red Cross would collect their personal belongings from the Germans and take them to the UK. Well written and interesting. Get it.
April 10, 2011
The Colditz camp was for those prisoners of war that spend all their time plotting escape, and could not be contained in regular camps. An medieval castle was probably not the best place to pick for a high-security prison, though. The Allied soldiers in Colditz built a glider and countless tunnels, dressed like women and German soldiers, pretended to be sick or ran away with a almost-healed broken leg, created primitive binoculars and warning systems. They did everything imaginable and unimaginable to try and escape from the camp. They even found an actual secret tunnel that was build hundreds of years ago while digging one of their own tunnels. Many, many times they were caught while still inside, or just after they left, but they still kept trying.
Meanwhile, in the middle of losing a war, the Germans accused an Englishman of calling the Germans 'bastards', brought him before a judge and had him convicted to jailtime. Likewise for the French soldiers throwing water and pumpkins at them. Apparently that kind of thing is not allowed under the Geneva convention.
This book describes what happened at Colditz from the point of view of a German, Reinhold Eggers himself, who was promoted to security officer at Colditz in the later stages of the war. I found myself rooting for him and his team from time to time, before I remembered which side he was on. For this it helped that the Germans in this book weren't complete sociopaths or even remotely 'evil', which is quite different from most warbooks. Eggers describes the daily routine, the increasingly baffling plots to escape, and the development of the war and its direct influences on the lives of him and his men in a detached style. Still, the frustration because of succesfull attempts is visible. Eggers took his job very seriously, apparently.
I will definitely be reading more about Colditz.
Meanwhile, in the middle of losing a war, the Germans accused an Englishman of calling the Germans 'bastards', brought him before a judge and had him convicted to jailtime. Likewise for the French soldiers throwing water and pumpkins at them. Apparently that kind of thing is not allowed under the Geneva convention.
This book describes what happened at Colditz from the point of view of a German, Reinhold Eggers himself, who was promoted to security officer at Colditz in the later stages of the war. I found myself rooting for him and his team from time to time, before I remembered which side he was on. For this it helped that the Germans in this book weren't complete sociopaths or even remotely 'evil', which is quite different from most warbooks. Eggers describes the daily routine, the increasingly baffling plots to escape, and the development of the war and its direct influences on the lives of him and his men in a detached style. Still, the frustration because of succesfull attempts is visible. Eggers took his job very seriously, apparently.
I will definitely be reading more about Colditz.
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April 16, 2017Read this concurrently with the Colditz Story for a stereo view of the events.
The best part of this book, I thought, was the end, when the war is over, the allies have won, and the Germans have to let the prisoners out and then figure out what to do next--no one knows--but they want to preserve their honor and dignity as they can. In spite of the devastation and the utter madness of Hitler turning on his own commanders in those terrible last days.
Eggers and his men end up POWs at the very end.
The best part of this book, I thought, was the end, when the war is over, the allies have won, and the Germans have to let the prisoners out and then figure out what to do next--no one knows--but they want to preserve their honor and dignity as they can. In spite of the devastation and the utter madness of Hitler turning on his own commanders in those terrible last days.
Eggers and his men end up POWs at the very end.
June 1, 2010
Great book, chronological. The guy was clearly not a Nazi and gives an interesting view of the other side. And of course the escapes.
October 18, 2012
Much funnier than a book about prisoners of war should be. A great story from an interesting author.
December 10, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed reading an account of Colditz seen from the German point of view. The writing at times was a little clunky owing to translation, but apart from that a fantastic book.
December 29, 2022
A fascinating insight into Colditz from the point of view of a German officer. For me it put some meat of the bones of stories I’ve read about in other books. Definitely worth a read.
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September 27, 2021This being the german version of events by captor Hptm. Eggers, on the infamous world war (2) prison camp for 'troublesome' (=trying to escape) allied officers , french british etc, prisoners of war. Eggers comes across as an almost fairly reasonable man given the context, and not apparently a National Socialist, but it reads more like a bit dry apologetic account by a schoolmaster , which he was in fact.
April 6, 2018
Absolutely excellent
December 16, 2022
If you have read Pat Reid's books about Colditz Castle during WWII, this is well worth the time spent reading. Reinhold Eggers corroborates all that Pat Reid tells about Colditz.
June 30, 2008
I admit it. Having now been to Colditz, and heard the escapers side of things, I thought it would be interesting to hear the other side...as it turns out, it wasn't quite what I expected. From Eggers' comments, it sounds like the prisoners were running rings round the guards most of the time! An generally intersting book though.
February 19, 2018
An entertaining and interesting account of the Colditz PoW camp from the other perspective. The author gives a fair-handed account, not afraid to admit that the prisoners were often having the upper hand and his role was quite reactive to combat their ingenious plans to escape. Entertaining - especially when read with Pat Reid's The Colditz Story.
February 19, 2021
Edgars was a 50 year old reserve officer (and World War I veteran) who was the longest serving member of the Colditz staff. He last served ad security officer and his account tells us the German side of the amazing Colditz story.
March 27, 2016
The story of Colditz Castle has held an evocative appeal since the television series of the 1970s (reignited after a visit to the castle in 2014). Eggers narrative brings the often overlooked perspective of the German guards to this story.
October 7, 2013
Read for research purposes - to get a grip on an Oflag during the latter years of the war.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews