Colditz Castle in April 1945. Photo taken by a U.S. Army soldier.

Colditz Castle is a castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany ( 51°7′50.82″N, 12°48′26.94″E). Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it became notorious as Oflag IV-C, a prisoner-of-war camp for "incorrigible" Allied officers who had repeatedly escaped from other camps. Download high resolution version (835x593, 73 KB) Colditz Castle circa World War II taken by a GI. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (835x593, 73 KB) Colditz Castle circa World War II taken by a GI. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The United States Army is the largest, and by some standards oldest, established branch of the armed forces of the United States and is one of seven uniformed services. ... For other uses, see Castle (disambiguation). ... Colditz is a city in Saxony, Germany, located at the banks of the river Mulde. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... Chemnitz (Sorbian/Lusatian Kamjenica, 1953-1990 called Karl-Marx-Stadt; Czech: Saská Kamenice) is a city in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... Germany is a Federal Republic made up of 16 States, known in German as Länder (singular Land). ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) has a land area of 18,413 km² and a population of 4. ... Former workhouse at Nantwich, dating from 1780 A workhouse was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work. ... A psychiatric hospital (also called a mental hospital or asylum) is a hospital specializing in the treatment of persons with mental illness. ... Oflag IV-C (Oflag is the abbreviation for Offizierslager, officers camp) (often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location) was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II. It was located in Colditz Castle situated on a cliff overlooking... A Prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of persons captured by the enemy in time of war. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ...

History

The original castle

The Colditz coat of arms over the gate to the outer courtyard

In 1046, Henry III of the Holy Roman Empire gave the burghers of Colditz permission to build the first documented settlement at the site. In 1083, Henry IV urged Markgraf Wiprecht of Groitzsch to develop the castle site, which Colditz accepted. In 1158, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa made Thimo I "Lord of Colditz", and major building works began. By 1200, the city around the market was established. Forests, empty meadows, and farmland were settled next to the pre-existing slavic villages Zschetzsch, Zschadraß, Zollwitz, Terpitzsch and Koltzschen. Around that time the larger villages Hohnbach, Thierbaum, Ebersbach and Tautenhain also emerged. Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 621 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 621 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Henry III, from a miniature of 1040. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Bourgeois redirects here. ... Masouleh village, Gilan Province, Iran. ... Henry IV (November 11, 1050–August 7, 1106) was King of Germany from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. ... Margrave (Latin: marchio) is the English and French form (recorded since 1551) of the German title Markgraf (from Mark march and Graf count) and certain equivalent nobiliary (princely) titles in other languages. ... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century chronicle. ... This article is about a community of trees. ... A meadow is a habitat of rolling or flat terrain where grasses predominate. ... For other uses, see Farm (disambiguation). ... Countries with dominating Slavic ethnicities  West Slavic  East Slavic  South Slavic Slav redirects here. ... Großbothen is a town in the Muldentalkreis district in Saxony, Germany. ... The Muldentalkreis is a district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... The Muldentalkreis is a district in Saxony, Germany. ... Löbau-Zittau is a Kreis (district) in the east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... Saale-Holzland is a Kreis (district) in the east of Thuringia, Germany. ...

In the Middle Ages, the castle played an important role as a watchtower for the German Emperors and was the center of the Reich territories of the Pleißenland (anti-Meißen Pleiße-lands). In 1404, the nearly 250-year rule of the dynasty of the Lords of Colditz ended when Thimo VIII sold Colditz Castle for 15,000 silver marks to the Wettin ruler of the period in Saxony. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The following list of German Kings and Emperors is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents. ... This article is about the German word Reich, and in particular to its historical and political implications. ... Altenburg is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia. ... Meißen, internationally most known for porcelain, is a town of approximately 35,000 near Dresden on the river Elbe in the State of Saxony in the southern part of eastern Germany. ... Altenburger Land is a district in Thuringia, Germany. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... The mark was originally a unit of weight for gold and silver common throughout western Europe, and was equal to 8 troy ounces. ... The Wettin dynasty of German counts, dukes, Prince Electors (Kurfürsten) and kings ruled the area of todays German state of Saxony for more than 800 years as well as holding for a time the kingship of Poland. ... Location Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DED Capital Dresden Minister-President Georg Milbradt (CDU) Governing parties CDU / SPD Votes in Bundesrat 4 (from 69) Basic statistics Area  18,416 km² (7,110 sq mi) Population 4,252,000 (11/2006)[1]  - Density 231 /km...

As a result of family dynastic politics, the city of Colditz was incorporated in the Margravate (county) of Meißen. In 1430, the Hussites attacked Colditz and set city and castle on fire. Around 1464, renovation and new building work on the Castle were carried out by Prince Ernst, who died in Colditz Castle in 1486. Under Frederick the Wise and Johann the Gentle, Colditz was a royal residence of the Electors of Saxony. For other uses, see Graf (disambiguation). ... Meißen, internationally most known for porcelain, is a town of approximately 35,000 near Dresden on the river Elbe in the State of Saxony in the southern part of eastern Germany. ... The Hussites comprised an early Protestant Christian movement, followers of Jan Hus. ... Ernest, Elector Of Saxony (1441 at Altenburg-1486) founder of the Ernestine line of Saxon princes, ancestor of Prince Consort. ... Frederick in an engraved portrait by Albrecht Dürer, 1524 Frederick III, Elector of Saxony (January 17, 1463 – May 5, 1525), also known as Frederick the Wise, was Elector of Saxony (from the House of Wettin) from 1486 to his death. ... John of Saxony in the Speyer Memorial Church. ... List of Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Saxony, 880-1918 The original Duchy of Saxony comprised lands in the north-westen part of present-day Germany, roughly corresponding to the modern German state of Lower Saxony and to Westphalia. ...

The rebuilt castle

The porphyry mannerist portal of the church house carved by Andreas Walther II in 1584.

In 1504, the servant Clemens the baker accidentally set Colditz on fire, and the city hall, church, castle and a large part of the city went up in flames. In 1506, reconstruction began and new buildings were raised around the rear castle courtyard. In 1523, the castle park was turned into one of the largest zoos in Europe. In 1524, rebuilding of the upper floors of the castle began. The castle was reconstructed in a fashion that corresponded to the way it was divided up—into the cellar, the royal house and the banquet hall building. There is nothing more to be seen of the original fortified castle, where the present rear castle is located, but it is still possible to make out where the original divisions were (the Old or Lower House, the Upper House and the Great House). Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 643 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 643 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A piece of porphyry Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. ... In Parmigianinos Madonna with the Long Neck (1534-40), Mannerism makes itself known by elongated proportions, affected poses, and unclear perspective. ... For other uses, see Zoo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

The structure of the castle was changed under the long reign of the elector Augustus of Saxony (1553–1586), and the complex was reconstructed into a Renaissance style castle from 1577 to 1591, including the portions that were still in the gothic architectural style. Architects Hans Irmisch and Peter Kummer supervised the further restoration and rebuilding. Later, Lucas Cranach the Younger was commissioned as an artist in the Castle. The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ... Portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder Augustus, Elector of Saxony (31 July 1526 – 11 February 1586) was an Elector of Saxony from the House of Wettin. ... Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, 1502, by Bramante. ... The western facade of Reims Cathedral, France. ... Staghunt of Prince Johann Friedrich (detail) 1544 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Lucas Cranach the Younger (October 4, 1515 - January 25, 1586) was a German Renaissance painter. ...

During this period the portal at what is known as the church house was created in 1584, made of porphyry and richly decorated in the mannerist style by Andreas Walther II. It was at this time that both the interior and the exterior of "the Holy Trinity" castle chapel that links the cellar and royal house with one another were redesigned. Shortly thereafter, the castle became an administrative centre for the Office of Colditz and a hunting lodge. In 1694, its then-current holder, Augustus the Strong, began to expand it, resulting in a second courtyard and a total of 700 rooms. A piece of porphyry Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. ... In Parmigianinos Madonna with the Long Neck (1534-40), Mannerism makes itself known by elongated proportions, affected poses, and unclear perspective. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... A hunter on horseback shoots at deer or elk with a bow. ... Reign From 1697, until 1706 and from 1709, until February 1, 1733 Elected In 1697 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On September 15, 1697 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Royal House Wettin Parents John George III Wettin Anne Sophie Consorts  ? Children August III Sas Maurice...

The modern castle

Colditz bridge in 1945 after the town had been occupied by the US Army

In the 19th century, the church space was rebuilt in the neo-classic architectural style, but its condition was allowed to deteriorate. The castle was used by Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony as a workhouse to feed the poor, the ill, and persons under arrest. It served this purpose from 1803 to 1829, when its workhouse function was taken over by an institution in Zwickau. In 1829, the castle became a mental hospital for the "incurably insane" from Waldheim. In 1864, a new hospital building was erected in the Gothic Revival style, on the ground where the stables and working quarters were previously located. It remained a mental institution until 1924. American troops crossing Colditz bridge 12th April 1945, taken by a GI. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... American troops crossing Colditz bridge 12th April 1945, taken by a GI. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the structure. ... The United States Army is the largest, and by some standards oldest, established branch of the armed forces of the United States and is one of seven uniformed services. ... Late Baroque classicizing: G. P. Pannini assembles the canon of Roman ruins and Roman sculpture into one vast imaginary gallery (1756) Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that... Frederick Augustus I (or III) of Saxony (December 23, 1750 - May 5, 1827). ... Zwickau is a city of Germany, in the Bundesland Saxony (Sachsen), situated in a valley at the foot of the Erzgebirge, on the left bank of the Zwickauer Mulde, 130 km (82 miles) southwest of Dresden, south of Leipzig and south west of Chemnitz. ... A psychiatric hospital (also called a mental hospital or asylum) is a hospital specializing in the treatment of persons with mental illness. ... Döbeln is a district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... Victoria Tower at the Palace of Westminster, London: Gothic details provided by A.W.N. Pugin San Sebastian Church in Manila, Philippines made entirely of steel. ... Leland Stanfords horse stable, still in use Horse kept in stable A stable is a building in which livestock, usually horses, are kept. ...

During World War II, the castle was used as a Prisoner of War camp (see POW). No escapes were made at this time. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they turned the castle into a political prison for communists, homosexuals, Jews, and other "undesirables". It was not until 1939^[1] that allied prisoners were housed there. In April 1945, US troops entered Colditz town and, after a two-day fight, conquered the castle on April 16. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Prisoner of War camps Contents // Categories: Substubs | Prisons and detention centres ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal         Nazism or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In May 1945, the Soviet occupation of Colditz began. Following the Yalta Conference it became a part of East Germany. The Soviets turned Colditz castle into a prison camp for local burghers and non-communists. Later, the castle was a home for the aged and nursing home, as well as a hospital and psychiatric clinic. For many years after the War, forgotten hiding spots and tunnels were found by repairmen, including a radio room set up by the British POWs, which was then "lost" again only to be re-discovered some ten years later. CCCP redirects here. ... The Big Three at the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. ... This article is about the state which existed from 1949 to 1990. ... Rest home for seniors in Český Těšín, Czech Republic SNF redirects here. ... For the town in the Republic of Ireland, see Hospital, County Limerick. ...

In 2005, the scaffolding was visible from town.

Download high resolution version (1984x970, 134 KB)A cropped version of http://commons. ... Download high resolution version (1984x970, 134 KB)A cropped version of http://commons. ...

The current castle

Today the castle and the church space require a significant amount of refurbishment and restoration. The last users moved out on August 1, 1996, and since then the castle has been almost empty except for the occasional visitor. The "Gesellschaft Schloss Colditz e.V." (the Castle Colditz historical society), founded in 1996, has its offices in a portion of the administration building in the front castle court. Renovation at the Parthenon Refurbishment (restoration) is the process of major maintenance or minor repair of an item, either aesthetically or mechanically. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The castle has been renovated and turned into a museum with visits showing some of the escape tunnels built by prisoners of the Oflag during World War II. POW redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

During 2006 and 2007, the castle continues to undergo a full restoration and refurbishment, sponsored largely by the state of Saxony. In the near future, part of the castle will remain an escape museum, with the former Kommandantur (German quarters) becoming a youth hostel and vacationers' hotel.

Colditz Castle as a mental institution

For nearly a hundred years, between 1829 and 1924, Colditz was a sanitarium, generally reserved for the wealthy and the nobility of Germany. The castle thus functioned as a hospital during a long stretch of massive upheaval in Germany, from slightly after the Napoleonic Wars destroyed the Holy Roman Empire and created the German Confederation, throughout the lifespan of the North German Confederation, the complete reign of the German Empire, throughout the First World War, and until the beginnings of the Weimar Republic. Between 1914 and 1918, the castle was home to both psychiatric and tuberculosis patients, 912 of whom died of malnutrition. There are a few meanings of Sanitarium: A sanitarium can be a psychiatric hospital. ... Wealth usually refers to money and property. ... Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... Combatants Austria[a] Portugal Prussia[a] Russia[b] Sicily[c] Sardinia  Spain[d]  Sweden[e] United Kingdom French Empire Holland[f] Italy Etruria[g] Naples[h] Duchy of Warsaw[i] Confederation of the Rhine[j] Bavaria Saxony Westphalia Württemberg Denmark-Norway[k] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack... This article is about the medieval empire. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Map of the North German Confederation Capital Berlin Political structure Federation Presidency Prussia (William I) Chancellor Otto von Bismarck History  - Constitution tabelled April 16, 1867  - Confederation formed July 1, 1867  - Elevation to empire January 18, 1871 The North German Federation (in German, Norddeutscher Bund) came into existence in 1867, following... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first)  - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or Tuberculosis) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ... Percentage of population affected by malnutrition by country, according to United Nations statistics. ...

Colditz Castle was also home to several notable figures during its time as a mental institution, including Ludwig Schumann, the second youngest son of the famous composer Robert Schumann, and Ernst Georg August Baumgarten, one of the original inventors of the airship. For other persons named Robert Schumann, see Robert Schumann (disambiguation). ... USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ...

Colditz Castle as Oflag IV-C

Main article: Oflag IV-C

After the outbreak of World War II the castle was converted into a high security prisoner-of-war camp for officers who had become security or escape risks or who were regarded as particularly dangerous. Since the castle is situated on a rocky outcropping above the Mulde river, the Germans believed it to be an ideal site for a high security prison. Oflag IV-C (Oflag is the abbreviation for Offizierslager, officers camp) (often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location) was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II. It was located in Colditz Castle situated on a cliff overlooking... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A Prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of persons captured by the enemy in time of war. ... The Mulde is a river in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. ...

The larger outer courtyard, known as the Kommandantur, had only two exits and housed a large German garrison. The prisoners lived in an adjacent courtyard in a 90 ft (27 m) tall building. Outside, the flat terraces which surrounded the prisoners' accommodation were constantly watched by armed sentries and surrounded by barbed wire. Although known as Colditz Castle to the locals, its official German designation was Oflag IV-C and it was under Wehrmacht control. In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. ... Typical modern agricultural barbed wire. ... Oflag IV-C (Oflag is the abbreviation for Offizierslager, officers camp) (often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location) was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II. It was located in Colditz Castle situated on a cliff overlooking... The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, a stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Wehrmacht. ...

Although it was considered a high security prison, it boasted one of the highest records of successful escape attempts. This could be due to the general nature of the prisoners that were sent there; most of them had attempted escape previously from other prisons and were transferred to Colditz because the Germans had thought it to be escape-proof. A popular book "Escape from Colditz" tells the story of a successful group escape. One lavish scheme even included a glider that was kept in a remote portion of the castle's attic, although it was never used because Germany surrendered to the Allies before the scheduled date of the planned escape.

References

• Exposé on Colditz Castle: Description of the Building from the Colditz tourism webpage. Retrieved March 19, 2005.
• What is special about Colditz Castle? from the Gesellschaft Schloss Colditz e.V. homepage Retrieved March 19, 2005.
• Colditzer Schlossgeschichte "Colditz Castle Story" from the same homepage. Retrieved March 19, 2005.
• Michael Booker, Collecting Colditz and Its Secrets, pp. 32.
• Eric J. Narveson, Prison Citadel, pp. 36-37.
• Patrick Reid, Colditz: The Full Story, pp. 124, 259-263.
• Georg Martin Schädlich, Tales from Colditz Castle, pp. 4-6, 27, 61, 63, 91-101.
• German army records indicate the camp was in existence from September 1939 until April 1945.

Corporal Georg Martin Schädlich kept a diary while he was a guard at Colditz castle from 1941 to 1943. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Colditz Castle

• official web page
• ColditzCastle.Net — a definitive history & guide to visiting Colditz Castle - large photo gallery.

• VirtualColditz.com — Videos and photos of Colditz Castle as it is today.