Map of The Park - E H Larive |
‘I felt slight apprehension of leaving the sheltered known
world of the POW camp, but that quickly passed and was replaced by joy – we
have done it.’ Francis Steinmetz
Hans Larive and Francis Steinmetz had a clear plan to reach
the Swiss border, but the odds were still stacked against them.
‘We had nothing, no identity papers, no travel permits.’
Francis Steinmetz.
Despite this, the escapers had a few cards they could play. By bribing guards with coffee, chocolate and luxuries from prisoner
parcels, the POW’s in Colditz had collected essential information on the German
search system triggered after grounds and castle had been covered and personnel
were still missing.
1) Search parties sent out on foot to cover the immediate
neighbourhood and watch local roads
2) A group on bicycles spreading out in a larger area to
operate in a similar way
3) Railway and police stations in the area alerted. Once the
escaper’s identity was known, police in Leipzig
were also notified. They had photographs and descriptions of the prisoners on
file. Leipzig
was a railway junction which escapers may attempt to travel through.
4) If there were no immediate results, the search would be
quickly widened with all known information.
Dutch Naval Group - Larive is back row extreme left. Steinmetz is 2nd right middle row - E H Larive |
At least the Dutchmen had some detailed awareness of German strategies and what to expect 'post escape'. Larive also had specific knowledge of the border area around Singen. Following his arrest during an earlier escape attempt, information was openly divulged to him by a Gestapo officer at area headquarters on the edge of the village. Although disclosure took place before Larive’s identity was fully known, it is debatable whether that would have made any difference. The Gestapo officer had struck up a strange rapport and his complacency seemed comfortable in the knowledge that he was in a position of total superiority, the war would soon be over and this kind of information was academic.
Larive was shown a map and how he had walked past part of
the Swiss border which jutted into Germany at a distance of only about
300 yards. He asked numerous questions ‘which could be of any interest to
an escaper and learned a lot.’ The biggest coup was ascertaining there was no real defence line on the border
with Switzerland
and he could have walked across. This intelligence would be used later by five more Colditz POWs when escaping into Switzerland.
When Steinmetz recounted their escape, he said that the two men ‘had
nothing’. This was true with regard to documentation, but they did hold enough money
to cover train travel. Larive had managed to smuggle paper money and a small compass out of
his last POW camp in to Colditz.
He noted how this was done before leaving Oflag V111C:
‘I now had to take care of my money and compass and knowing I
would be subject to the most intensive search of all, it created quite a
problem. I emptied a tin of apple syrup, placed the compass in the bottom of it
protected by a piece of greaseproof paper and refilled the tin. The censor
usually probed tins and jars with a knife to detect hidden objects and I had to
think of some way to counter that. Knowing they, like anyone else, would not
like to get their fingers sticky, I covered the outside of the tin with apple
syrup, wrapped the tin in a very dirty piece of paper and put it right on top
of everything in my suitcase.’
The plan worked as the censor removed the tin from the
suitcase, pulled away the paper and took the tin in his hands before noticing
the syrup. He dropped it in disgust and after checking Larive’s suitcase told
him to pick up the tin and move along.
‘I had concealed the money somewhere on my person and
managed to pass that through undetected.’
‘They searched me intensively and I even had to strip naked
– yet they found nothing – not even my money, which was not on my body – but in
it. A short visit to the toilet before being searched accomplished this.’
The escape plan was to reach Leisnig in time for the first train,
just after dawn. Larive’s compass proved vital and the pair arrived ten minutes
before departure time. Checks were almost inevitable, but there was no choice
except to take the train and press on. Risks had to be minimised whatever the
odds, so Steinmetz bought the tickets to Dresden
as he spoke better German. Larive stood at the far end of the platform, ready
to slip away if there were problems.
Leisnig Rail Station today - opencaching.de |
There were no checks, which was unexpected, as they did not have the advantage of earlier Dutch escapers Lieutenant Dufour and Captain Smit whose absence was not discovered until two days after they broke out of Colditz. Larive and Steinmetz sat quietly in the carriage, each man occupied with his own thoughts. Travel on the faster routes had been their preferred choice, despite the increased risk of checks on identity and travel papers.
At
Dresden Rail Station - wikipedia |
Dresden Rail Station - antikfalkensee.de |
After leaving
‘The only scare we had from time to time was the appearance
of the military police patrol. Fortunately, they seemed to confine their
activities to checking military personnel.’
Nurnberg Rail Station in 1941 - thirdreichruins.com |
The train arrived at
Next Week - Part Two
Sources
Colditz The Full Story - Major Pat Reid MBE MC (Highly recommended read)
Colditz The German Viewpoint Reinhold Eggers (Highly recommended read)
You Tube
The Man Who Came in From Colditz - E H Larive
Author's Notes
©Keith Morley
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