Colditz

Prisoners made numerous attempts to escape from Oflag IV-C, one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II. Between 30 and 36 men succeeded in their attempts - exact numbers differ between German and Allied sources. The camp was situated in Colditz Castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the town of Colditz in Saxony. The German Army made Colditz a Sonderlager (high-security prison camp), the only one of its type within Germany. Field Marshal Hermann Göring even declared Colditz "escape-proof." In spite of this claim, there were many well-documented escapes and failed attempts by British, Canadian, French, Polish, Dutch, and Belgian inmates. Despite some mistaken beliefs to the contrary, Colditz Castle was not used as a prisoner of war camp in World War I.

Colditz Castle (or Schloss Colditz in German) is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. The castle is between the towns of Hartha and Grimma on a hill spur over the river Zwickauer Mulde, a tributary of the River Elbe. It had the first wildlife park in Germany when, during 1523, the castle park was converted into one of the largest menageries in Europe. The castle gained international infamy as the site of Oflag IV-C, a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for "incorrigible" Allied officers who had repeatedly attempted to escape from other camps.

The Colditz Cock was a glider built by British prisoners of war during World War II for an escape attempt from Oflag IV-C (Colditz Castle) prison camp in Germany.

Zschadraß is a village and a former municipality in the Leipzig district in Saxony, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Colditz.

Lastau is a village in Landkreis Leipzig, Saxony, Germany with approx. 222 inhabitants (2012). On 1 January 1994 it was incorporated into the town Colditz.

The Zwickauer Mulde (German pronunciation: [ˈtsvɪkaʊɐ ˈmʊldə]) is a river in Saxony, Germany. It is the left tributary of the Mulde and 166 km (103 mi) in length. The source of the river is in the Ore Mountains, near Schöneck, in the Vogtlandkreis. It runs northeast to Aue, then northwest to Zwickau (hence the name), and further north through Glauchau, Rochlitz and Colditz. A few kilometers north of Colditz, the Zwickauer Mulde is joined by the Freiberger Mulde to form the united Mulde. The Mulde is a tributary of the Elbe.

Zettlitz is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany.

Döhlen is a village in Landkreis Mittelsachsen in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is part of the municipality of Seelitz.

Rochlitz (German pronunciation: [ˈʁɔxlɪts]; Upper Sorbian: Rochlica, pronounced [ˈʁɔxlʲitsa]) is a major district town (Große Kreisstadt) in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany. Rochlitz is the head of the "municipal partnership Rochlitz" (Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Rochlitz) with its other members being the municipalities of Königsfeld, Seelitz and Zettlitz.

Königsfeld is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany.

Rochlitz Castle or Rochlitz Palace (German: Schloss Rochlitz) lies in the west of the town of Rochlitz in the county of Mittelsachsen in the Free State of Saxony. It was built on the site of an imperial castle, erected in the second half of the 10th century, which fell into the possession of the Wettin margraves in 1143. Its appearance, which includes several Romanesque wings, is considerably influenced by its remodelling into a margravial schloss in the fourth quarter of the 14th century. Further conversions and additions followed at the end of the 15th and in the 16th centuries, when the castle became a secondary residenz, dower house and hunting lodge for the Wettin family. The castle or palace was the residence for members of the Saxon princely house eight times. From the 18th century the castle served as an administrative centre (justice department and district court); in 1852 it became a gaol, which necessitated considerable alteration. The museum founded in 1892 was gradually expanded and, today, takes up almost the entire castle.

Großbothen is a village and a former municipality in the Leipzig district in Saxony, Germany. Großbothen had an area of 33.45 km² and a population of 3,453 (as of December 31, 2009). At a local government reform on 1 January 2011, the municipality was split up and divided over the towns Grimma and Colditz. The village Großbothen is now part of Grimma. Großbothen was the death place of Wilhelm Wundt.