Colditz: The Full Story

by P.R. Reid

In " The Full Story", Major Pat Reid brings together the many dramatic discoveries resulting from research that has covered the five continents. From all walks of life, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, German and Polish prisoners - as well as those from the British Commonwealth and USA - were incarcerated in suffocating intimacy for five years in an alien and hostile land. Under these conditions they proved that men could live together and that loyalty and generosity could thrive, transcending the natural prejudices of race, creed, language and intellectual diversity. There were more than 300 escape attempts at Colditz and in this fascinating portrayal, Major Pat Reid vividly describes this unique period in Second World War history. Furthermore, Major Reid reveals the code systems between the War Office and Colditz; shows how he obtained information on Germany's secret weapons; and investigates the existence of traitors and the situation of non-collaborators in the castle. This is a true story, which nonetheless possess the mythical qualities that cause a legend to live forever.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Military Fiction, Military History, Historical

346 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Major Patrick Robert "Pat" Reid, MBE, MC was a British Army officer and author of non-fiction largely based upon his firsthand experiences during World War II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Reid

Reviews

[Tracey Wilde · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this had been billed as fiction I would have thought it was far fetched. Absolutely fascinating and highly recommended.

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, possibly even more after having read the Ben MacIntyre Colditz.

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to be visiting Colditz later this year, so thought I ought to read a bit about the notorious castle first. Going into this book I knew the following things about Colditz:

- it was in Germany
- there was an escape route under a stage
- people tried to launch a glider as an escape

I wouldn't say I know a whole lot more now, but I think I know enough that when I'm there the weight of its history will mean something.

As far as this book goes, it's all right. It could do with some editing as there are some typos and things, and the layout in places is confusing. But it's well written and covers the entire history of Colditz. There are some areas I'd wish for more detail on but I doubt that will ever happen.

If I compare this to my memory of the Great Escape by Brickhill I'd say that this book is not really written for a casual reader, it's dense and stoic so not a captivating read. But I'm glad to have read it and there's every chance I'll read it again sometime.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This offers insight into the life and especially the escape attempts of the POWs of Colditz castle. It progresses in chronological order, but it doesn't offer much of a narrative, more a collection of anecdotes. Still, many of the anecdotes were fascinating. What I appreciated most was the sense of the prisoner's general lack of power vis-a-vis the Germans, but also the German concern to at least be perceived to be adhering to the Geneva Convention - even early in the war they had a sense that they might not win the war and would be held accountable for their treatment of their prisoners. My greatest disappointment, as someone who only knew about Colditz from the old movie that showed their construction of a glider to escape, was that the glider was built very late in the war and was never actually used!

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle says it all - this really is the full story of allied POWs incarcerated in Castle Colditz during World War II. The level of detail is exhaustive, and occasionally exhausting, but the final chapters describing the liberation of Colditz and the frightening journey of the "hostage POWs" through the mountains around Berchtesgaden are thrilling and present an interesting microcosm of the tensions within German society during the Nazi era.

[Darren Togwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a truly comprehensive account of every escape attempt - success and failure - from Colditz castle by Allied officers. It’s very interesting but could have left out some of the less necessary detail such as the angles and measurements of various tunnels. This left my interest waning at times but it was an enjoyable read overall.

[Stephen Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting. Colditz is well known to many but to learn about it in this level of detail was fascinating.

[Laila Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't have the story i had in my mind...but it's still very good ✨

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Highly recommend it.

[Kelly Frank]

really uplifting and remarkable stories throughout ... the behind-the-scenes efforts of prisoners to topple the Nazis is just amazing to read!

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It expands on Escape From Colditz, which I read as a teen. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but I preferred that version; this seems more a listing of events, rather than a narrative.

[David Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Colditz: The Full Story, P.R. Reid delivers "the full history" as part memoir, part researched history and part anecdote. Castle Colditz was a POW compound that the Germans used for special prisoners -- those having shown a propensity for escaping and those with a high hostage value, in particular. Reid himself was a prisoner there for about 2 years, up until his escape into Switzerland in 1942.

Reid (1910-1990) was not a polished writer or historian but he did personally experience Colditz and the realism that he conveys is compelling. Somewhat oddly, the realism is not of the horrors that one usually associates with being a prisoner. If anything, Reid presents a somewhat civilized incarceration with a German hierarchy that generally respected the prisoners and their right to try to escape. Admittedly, some who were caught escaping were shot by the Gestapo, but the more common experience was seemingly much better than any combat troops might have experienced and it was certainly remarkably nice when compared to anything that an Allied prisoner in the PTO would have experienced. (Indeed, in one instance, the German Commandant at Colditz sent an escaped POWs possessions back to the escaped prisoner after he returned to Allied territory. In another instance, an escaped prisoner sent real coffee to a German Dentist who had unwittingly aided in the prisoners escape.)

Colditz does drag in places so the reader should be willing to consider skimming some sections. On the whole, however, this book gave me insight into aspects of the war that I have not really studied in the past and I will value this book as part of my library. A very good read.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a Polish POW captured during the invasion of Poland. Colditz was set up in 1939 to house enemy officers who merited special supervision - but whose history can be traced back to 928 from a Christian Settlement. Initially poorly run after the invasion of Poland - Eggers, the officer in charge of security at Colditz turned it into a fortress of floodlights, sheer drops, barbed wire and many sentries. Morning parades took place to monitor prisoners, fingerprints and identity cards as well.

As for the prisoners, escapers were often loners, obsessed with finding their way back home and highly protective of their plans. As the war went on, and different nationalities were captured (Brits, Dutch and French being the most prominent) plans to escape often overlapped creating rebellion, although this was later negated by the officer of a particular regiment being the liaison for all plans, thus preventing overlap. Bribing guards would happen, who if found were often shot. Around 100 prisoners successfully escaped, mainly to Switzerland, which was neutral.

Conditions were good for most of the war, with entertainment permitted (privileges that the Germans hoped would entice prisoners not to escape). However, as the war ended, food shortages became severe and the Red Cross had to send supplies. Saluting wars took place, which the prisoners won (the Geneva convention said POW of rank were to be saluted to by their captors) while the Germans applied some nasty tricks to try and assassinate prisoners, such as encouraging them to walk near the barb wire and then shooting them. Colditz was captured by the Americans in April 1945.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Colditz, the time was right to revisit this book.

Escape Organiser Pat Reid not only spent much of 1940-42 in Colditz, but helped organise many of the escapes from the supposedly escape-proof castle in Germany, finally escaping successfully himself in late 1942. Reid shares much of the meticulous planning and amazing ingenuity of the POW's from Colditz, which included officers from many nations (habitual escapers all).

Reid successfully captures the suspense, friction and even humour of the inmates as they seek to outwit the German guards. Many POW's of course lost their lives trying to get back home, and this is a fitting memorial to them too.

[Sherwood Smith]

I first read this as a thirteen year old who craved dashing stories about spies and great escapes. The disarmingly humorous and self-effacing tone made this a favorite.

I got a copy decades later, and found it interesting for all the assumptions about the soldier's life and purpose, and the assumptions about men of different cultures, all in this artificial situation fraught with peril. Read concurrently with Reinholt Eggers' view, it becomes fascinating.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. Tells of the time during WW2 when Colditz Castle was used by the Germans as a POW camp, mainly for prisoners who had a record of attempting to escape. Being in Colditz did not stop the escape attempts, and this book is about 80% recounting the various escape attempts. I felt it could have gone into more details of the hardships they faced on a daily basis. At times this reads a bit like a boys own adventure with even the Germans represented in a benign light.

[J. Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rollicking old school tale of escape told with typical British understatement. As with many of these tales. the retelling is devoid of any emotional complexity. Military heroism is always an interesting subject.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reid tells the amazing feats of courage and creative escapes and escape efforts from Germany's WWII highest security prisoner of war camp, a location they considered escape-proof. The stories have been the inspiration of multiple television shows and movies.

[Papa Smurf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gold its: The Full Story

This was an excellent book. I was very interested and could not put this book down. The accounts written in this book are something to be read by people, to understand what these POWs went through at Colditz Castle.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read number of war books and never ceases to amaze me the bravery of the men in that period. This no exception. If a novel you would never believe what went on.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

c1952