The Great Escape
During the World Wars thousands of Allied soldiers were held in Prisoner of War (POW) camps. Despite the extreme danger, a small number of Allied POWs were determined to escape captivity. The most famous moment of defiance began on the night of 24 March 1944 when dozens of men escaped from Stalag Luft III in Poland.
You've seen the film, now discover the real story of The Great Escape and how we work to commemorate those who died.
Go on a virtual Visit
Almost all of those who died during the Great Escape are buried in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, not far from where they had been held captive.
Go on a virtual tour of the cemetery during a visit or from the comfort of your own home.
Alongside the Great Escapers, we commemorate more than 470 Commonwealth casualties of both world wars in Poznan. These include prisoners of war from the First World War who were gathered here after the armistice.
The vast majority of those commemorated here are airmen who died while on bombing operations over Poland or who died while in captivity.
Planning a trip to Poznan?
Access our Poznan guided tour via the Memory Anchor app, available on IOS and Android.
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SHARE THE STORIES OF THE GREAT ESCAPE
To find out more about some of the people involved in the Great Escape, you can read and share the fascinating stories of the Great Escapers on For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen, our online commemorative resource.
All images © IWM unless otherwise indicated.