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The real Willi (right) and his
double
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Escaping Colditz
19: December 1942
Late one afternoon around Christmas, Willi, the castle's
German electrician, entered the French quarters to replace a blown fuse. About
5:30 p.m., Willi strolled through the gate out of the prisoners' yard, turned
left through the archway into the German yard, and made his way to the park
gate. Here, even though he was well-known to everyone, Willi was asked for his
pass. He had the wrong one. In fact, "Willi" was Lieut. A. Perodeau. Though his
disguise was near-perfect, Perodeau's scarf may have tipped off the guard: It
wasn't the same color as that worn by the real Willi.
Previous escape |
Next escape |
See the map
- First escape
April 12, 1941
- Straw mattresses
May 8, 1941
- Locked cells
Mid-May 1941
- Canteen tunnel
May 1941
- German woman
June 1941
- Air-raid shelter
June 1941
- Hacksaw
June 1941
- Over the wall
July 2, 1941
- Air shaft
July 28, 1941
|
- Lavatory
July 31, 1941
- Manhole
Late summer, 1941
- Dummies
December 1941
- German officers
December 1941
- Main gate
January 6, 1942
- Town dump
March 1942
- Wooden crate
September 7, 1942
- Mussolini's office
September 9, 1942
- Headquarters building
October 15, 1942
|
- Willi the electrician
December 1942
- "Maddest attempt"
May 11, 1943
- Franz Josef
September 2, 1943
- Cellar house
January 19, 1944
- Rubbish heap
May 2, 1944
- Greatest escaper
September 25, 1944
- Glider
April 1945
|
Escaping Colditz |
The Jailor's Story |
Great Escapes |
The Colditz Glider
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