Day 5 - Berlin to Zagan, Poland

What a difference a day makes. Having had the sightseeing day in Berlin ruined by the weather, today more than made up for it. Firstly it stayed dry all day, secondly the roads were brilliant to ride, thirdly we entered our 5th country in 5 days and lastly, we had the most fabulously interesting and informative tour, by Marek at Muzeum Obozow Jenieckich, in Zagan, Poland.

The Museum covers both these Stalags

None the wiser?

Stalag Luft 3, famous for the Great Escape

What we also learned today, was that Stalag Luft 3 was also the location of the Wooden Horse escape. Some of you may also remember the film that potrays that escape. Whilst the Wooden Horse escape is overshadowed by the Great Escape, it was a complete success, unlike the latter of the two.

The Wooden Horse

The day started gloomy and not quite as warm as we've been used to but by the time we'd completed our fuel and coffee stops and crossed into Poland, a first for both of us, the sun had made an appearance and the temperature had risen once more.

I had us booked in for a 14:00 English speaking tour. We arrived a little after 12:30, so looked around the museum, whilst we waited for Marek to appear. He was off on another tour.

We had barely begun our tour when we were joined by 4 guys from UK, taking part in a nearby rally event. It was supposed to be a 'private' tour but it seemed churlish to say they couldn't tag along. Minutes later, we picked up a stray German biker too. As long as we were happy to include them, Marek was happy to accept them. 

The first part of the tour took place outside the museum building, then moved inside, where Marek explaained the topography of the entire site and explained the sequence of events, pointing out on a model and aerial photographs, what happened where. That was part 1 complete. 

For Part 2, Marek drove us bikers, the UK chaps drove themselves, to the site where the Great Escape tunnel Harry was built. He pointed out where the tree line would have been and although there is a replica guard tower (built by the RAF), also where the foundations of the original tower are still to be found. It is quite easy to understand, seeing the exit of the tunnel in relation to the original tower, how things went so badly wrong on that night in March 1944. I don't recall the tower being that close in the film. It can't be much more than 30 feet!

Harry's exit point

Tom, Dick, Harry and Dudley

The line of the tunnel has been marked out and we were able to see the entry point to. Along the first few yards of the tunnel markings, are slabs engraved with the names of all the escapees, grouped by nationality and in 3 different colours. Green are the 3 men who succeeded in getting to freedom. Blue are those who were returned to camp and black are those 50, whom you may know, were executed by the Gestapo, on Hitler's orders. A little way up the road, there is a memorial to them all, which we visited after Marek had run us back to the museum, concluding a brilliant tour.

Some of the British escapees

Memorial to The 50.

Following the assassination of the 50 escapees, in contravention of the Geneva Convention, the allies issued a notice to all prisoners of war, to stop any further escape attempts and thus preventing another massacre. 

The Allies note to all POWs

With our visit complete, we made our way to our hotel, which, Marek had said, was a hospital during the war. Freshened up, it was time for the usual ritual, beer, food and more beer. Tonight we indulged ourselves, with a starter, as the two courses came to just £11 each. I suspect we may be paying more tomorrow night, as we travel to Prague. We have one stop planned for tomorrow, at Terezin in Czechia, site of a Jewish ghetto and concentration camp. More about that tomorrow though.