Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle was published by Viking in 2022. Colditz Castle (Oflag IV-C) — the “escape-proof” German prisoner-of-war camp for incorrigible escapers during World War II — has been the subject of dozens of books, films, and television series. Macintyre’s contribution is the first account to use the full range of available archives: British, German, French, and Polish, as well as MI9 files (the British intelligence section responsible for aiding escapes).
The reality Macintyre reveals is more complex than the classic “plucky British officers tunnel their way out” narrative. Colditz contained prisoners from multiple nations who often distrusted each other. The British officer class’s obsession with escaping was partly genuine patriotism and partly a way of maintaining status and sanity. Many prisoners did not attempt escape and were ostracized. Some were informers. The Germans were often more competent than the escape narratives suggest.
The book also documents what previous accounts suppressed: homosexual relationships (inevitable in an all-male environment), mental breakdowns, the moral compromise of prisoners who collaborated with the Germans in exchange for privileges, and the fate of prisoners who were recaptured and executed under Hitler’s Commando Order.
Collecting Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle
First edition (Viking, London, 2022): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine in jacket: $15–$25
- Signed first: $25–$50