The Great Escape

Archival Summary & Scope

Hailed as "A tense, thrilling, fabulous tale" by the *Philadelphia Inquirer*, this is the gripping true story of American and British air force officers imprisoned in a German POW camp during WWII. With only crude homemade tools, these men ingeniously dug tunnels, forged passports, faked weapons, and crafted German uniforms and civilian clothes, all while devising an elaborate security system to evade constant surveillance. This audacious escape demanded the unwavering dedication of over six hundred men for more than a year, culminating in a high-stakes, split-second operation. The basis for the classic 1963 film starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough, this edition includes 16 pages of photographs.