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1: 'A sight to make the bravest quail'

As the first group of British officers arrive at Colditz Castle, they realise escape will be a formidable task, as Samuel West reads the story of the world's most infamous prison.

Samuel West reads Ben MacIntyre's incredible true story of the most infamous prison in history.

Colditz has become synonymous with daring escapes by stiff upper-lipped British soldiers, in a cat-and-mouse game against their ruthless but foolish German captors. But this is only part of the story. Here Ben MacIntyre reveals the real story of Colditz - one not only of bravery, ingenuity and resilience, but also of snobbery, racism, homosexuality, bullying, treachery, insanity and farce.

Today: November 1940: as the first British officers arrive at the forbidding Colditz Castle, they realise escape will be a formidable task...

Writer: Ben MacIntyre is the bestselling author of Agent Sonya, SAS: Rogue Heroes, The Spy and the Traitor, Agent Zigzag, Operation Mincemeat and A Spy Among
Friends.
Reader: Samuel West is an acclaimed stage, film and theatre actor and director.
Producer: Justine Willett
Abridger: Richard Hamilton

14 minutes

Last on

Tue 15 Nov 2022 00:30

Broadcasts

  • Mon 14 Nov 2022 09:45
  • Tue 15 Nov 2022 00:30