Book Review: PRISONERS OF THE CASTLE by Ben Macintyre

During World War II, the German army held defiant Allied prisoners in the towering Colditz Castle for four years. These prisoners tested its walls and guards with ingenious escape attempts that became legendary. But Colditz was more than escape. Its population represented a society in miniature, full of heroes, traitors, class conflicts, secret alliances, and human joy and despair.

PRISONERS OF THE CASTLE by Ben Macintyre

In PRISONERS OF THE CASTLE, author Ben Macintyre draws back the curtain on the myths and mystique of Colditz Castle and presents a narrative that goes beyond the daring escapes. The tale of Colditz Castle is as much about the relationships between prisoners and their captors as it is about the attempts to escape captivity.

The story delves deep into the determination and character of men like Airey Neave, Douglas Bader, Birendranath Mazumbar, Florimond Duke, and Michael Sinclair, among many others. But the book is not single-sided. It equally offers a compelling look at the German officers, such as Reinhold Eggers, and their struggles to maintain civility with the prison walls and protect the prisoners from the notorious German SS.

Macintyre offers the reader well-researched insight into how the atmosphere and administration of Colditz transformed throughout the war, especially toward the end when it became apparent that Germany was losing. His writing is gripping, amusing, and often takes the one's breath away with historic detail taken straight from eyewitness accounts. Every chapter holds something new and riveting.

For history fans, particularly those with an interest in World War II history, PRISONERS OF THE CASTLE is a must read.