Prisoners of the Castle: An Epic Story of Survival and Escape from Colditz, the Nazis’ Fortress Prison

Castle Colditz loomed over its namesake town with an imposing nature. The storied facility held a multitude of prisoners from various allied countries during World War II. Many of the inmates were recalcitrant, having repeatedly escaped from other prisons. Colditz benefitted from being hundreds of miles away from friendly confines. However, this didn’t serve as a deterrent for scores of intrepid soldiers. From its incorporation in 1939 through 1945, the soldiers within the prison walls plotted every which way in attempting an escape. The Germans who ran the prison scuttled more than a few attempts, but the ingenuity of the captives and their desire to aid in the war led to more brazen attempts.

Author Ben Macintyre continues to provide an engaging narrative when it comes to war and/espionage. Prisoners of the Castle is a war story, but it also relates the depth of spirit within men facing a misery of indeterminate length. Macintyre provides an eclectic group of eccentric characters, thrown together by the war, who look to the day when they’ll be free from the confines of their imprisonment. A sterling effort by the excellent Macintyre.