# Information on "The Great Escape" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249 "2001-04-08T12:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Black\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@The\_Black\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Black_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/1 "2001-04-08T12:31:00Z")
I can not locate a good site on the infamous Great Escape made by POW allies out of a German camp in WW2. Ya know, the one they made a movie out of? Does anyone know of a site that gives information about the ‘real’ story? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/2 "2001-04-08T14:35:44Z")
[Here](http://www.historyinfilm.com/escape/real1.htm)’s one site; use what details it offers to search further. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/3 "2001-04-08T21:01:37Z")
You might try lookng up the book on the topic. That movie as based on Paul Brickhill’s book **The Great Escae**. abeit with a LOT of changes. (Stalag Luft Drei was NO the “basket into which they put all the bad eggs” – Kolditz Strafelger was, arguably. Too many of the “good” parts went to Americans in the movie. Americans were in the camp, and contributed significantly (in fact, too well. Th Germans had hoped that the Americans and British would spend too uc time fighting amonst themselves). But most of the key personnel were British. Besides, the Germans shipped the Americans away before the Big Break. Read the book. I read m original copy to tatters, and had to buy a second one. You should also read **The Wooden Horse** by (I believe) Paul Williams. Another classic escape from Stalag Luft Drei (although a dfferent compound). his one, too, has been filmed. About ten years ago a book came out called simply **Stalag Luft Drei** , with a great deal of information about the camp. I don’t recall the author. For whatever reason, it doesn’t even mention Brickhill or his book. ---
**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/4 "2001-04-08T21:14:59Z")
Gentlemen----Please! The question was where! Not how many of each,and who got most,or least,of the good parts. Who really cares-----it was a heck of a good movie-----------the only disappointment was in learning that the great bike jump was not made by Mr. McQ. So----let’s hear it from someone who knows WHERE1 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/5 "2001-04-08T21:39:24Z")
Ezstrete: Calm down. Beatle gave a site. I – retro person that I am – suggested three books. We BOTH answered where. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/6 "2001-04-08T22:52:50Z")
Another book version of the story is “The Longest Tunnel” by Alan Burgess. It was written much later than “The Great Escape” (1990, rather than 1951), so it has a bit more perspective. It also attempts to correct some of the slight errors and inaccuracies that were in the original. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/7 "2001-04-09T04:16:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\* > > You should also read **The Wooden Horse** by (I believe) Paul Williams. \*\* I will likely never get another opportunity to correct **Cal** , so I can’t resist.😉 _The Wooden Horse_ was by **Eric** Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/8 "2001-04-09T05:22:43Z")
I recommend doing a search for Stalag Luft III. ---
**Author:** ![exchicagoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@exchicagoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exchicagoan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/9 "2001-04-09T05:31:45Z")
What about also looking into the DIRK BOGARDE film–THE PASSWORD IS COURAGE. IMDP says that one of the writers was a “JOHN CASTLE III (biography)”. Sounds like he vas der! Clap your hand if you believe in LIBRARIES. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/10 "2001-04-09T15:32:41Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by CalMeacham:_ > About ten years ago a book came out called simply Stalag Luft Drei, with a great deal of information about the camp. I don’t recall the > author. For whatever reason, it doesn’t even mention Brickhill or his book. Might you be referring to [Stalag Luft III : The Secret Story](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0807124435/o/qid=986829987/sr=2-1/103-4662157-2451028) by Arthur A. Durand? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/11 "2001-04-09T16:06:10Z")
Possibly, but I don’t think so. I don’t recall that being the subtitle. The cover was different, and I bought my copy about twelve years ago, but they may have switched publishers in the interim. I’ll have to dig out my old copy and see. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Black\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@The\_Black\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Black_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/12 "2001-04-11T07:18:18Z")
Thanks guys. All very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-on-the-great-escape/61249/13 "2001-04-11T11:28:57Z")
There’s a great page [here](http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfsel/sl3/escape/index.html).