Nazi Prison Escape

The idea was to take some of the most incorrigible Allied prisoners of war--men who had repeatedly tried to escape from one German prison after another--and put them all in one "escape-proof" impregnable fortress, a gloomy medieval castle guarded by SS troops located in the city of Colditz. Narrated by Roy Scheider, this NOVA episode features interviews with survivors of Colditz, men who, once incarcerated, immediately began to pool their knowledge and devise ingenious plans to break out. As the cameras follow these elderly gentlemen, revisiting for the first time the castle that was their prison for so many years, viewers are treated to emotional and inspirational stories of courage, endurance and determination. Especially interesting is the tale of two British gents who built a glider from scratch with the intention of launching it off the roof of the castle. Colditz is a chapter of WWII history unknown to many people; NOVA corrects that oversight here. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Carlson)