Out of Colditz
My Father the POW and the Nazi Who Controlled His Fate
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Out of Colditz
Pre-order Now for £14.43
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Narrated by:
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Mark Meadows
The astonishing true story of the high-profile hostages in Colditz Castle and the Nazi general who spared their lives, from David Lascelles, the son of one of the prisoners, George, Earl of Harewood
The nephew of the King. The son of the Viceroy of India. Churchill's nephew. Held captive at the notorious Colditz prisoner of war camp, they were the Prominente: scions of the British establishment, and pawns in the hands of Nazi leaders.
As a German defeat loomed, the SS head of the POW camps Gottlob Berger made a pivotal decision: he would disobey direct orders and spare their lives. "Please remember what I have done for you when the war ends," he asked. This Nazi overseer, who would later be convicted of war crimes, held their future in his hands.
Eighty years later, David Lascelles—who would never have been born if his father had been executed—retraces the Prominentes' extraordinary journey and wonders who Gottlob Berger was and what motivated his fateful decision: compassion? Remorse? Or self-interest?
Critic reviews
"A gripping, unsettling journey into the strange moral fog of the war’s last days—and the shadows we inherit long after." —Iain MacGregor, author of The Lighthouse of Stalingrad
“A gripping true story of courage, treachery, intrigue, divided loyalties, and vengeance.” —Damien Lewis, bestselling author of Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
“A fascinating story about the fate of the VIP prisoners of Colditz that is grounded in remarkable family and military history detective work.” —Robert Verkaik, author of The Traitor of Colditz
“A moving quest from a unique perspective, at once intimate and panoramic.” —Jane Caplan, author of Nazi Germany
“Utterly enthralling. Not just a little-known wartime story, but a fascinating reflection on the war’s legacy.” —Alwyn Turner, author of A Shellshocked Nation