THE LONG MARCH - REVISITED
I embarked on this photographic journey 70 years later to document the route my Uncle Douglas and 2,000 fellow POWs, from the infamous North Compound, (location of The Wooden Horse escape October 1943 and The Great Escape March 1944), took on The Long March from Stalag Luft III, Sagan to their point of liberation 3 months later in Lubeck, North Germany. What has changed? What has remained for me to literally walk in his footsteps and see what he saw? The extreme cold of that 1945 winter could not be replicated by Mother Nature 70 years later. Travelling the route would be a way for me to get as close to the Uncle I sadly never met.
The march from Stalag Luft II in Silesia began on 27th January 1945 and lasted over nine days. The march was in two stages. The first by foot, when over 10,000 prisoners from all five compounds were force-marched west along icy roads for around 100km from the prison camp in Poland to Spremberg railway station, in eastern Germany. This leg took six-and-a-half days approximately (times varied according to where in the column each group was) with the destination reached in the afternoon of 2 February. It would seem that, because Sagan station was not connected to the main German rail network, the prisoners had to trek west in order to access a railhead linked to the Reich system which could transport them north-east.
The second stage was effected by rail in French cattle trucks. These contained more then 40 men each and they rolled out of Spremberg at around 23.00 hrs on the 2nd, finishing their journey at around 16.30 hrs on 3rd February, after between 41 and 48 hours travelling (estimates varied, some groups arriving later than others). The trip had taken place in appallingly unsanitary conditions, the only hygiene facility being a bucket in the centre of each wagon. The total distance covered was around 620km. This was to Tarmstadt, the station for a German Marlag naval camp, 96 km north of Hannover.
This project has been published in The Daily Telegraph Magazine and other publications.
Snow-covered forest with a path running through the trees
Snow-covered forest pathway with trees on both sides and snow on the ground and branches.
The Boulevard
Looking down ‘The Boulevard’ exiting Stalag Luft III camp on the left. POWs took their first steps of The Long March long this track passing the guard tower on the left and within feet of The Great Escape Tunnel Harry on the right, that exited just a few feet shy of the tree line on the right.
First Steps
Exiting ‘The Boulevard’ Allied POWs began walking Gorlitz Road, (now the 296 Lotnikow Alianckich Road), in the early dark and cold hours of 28th January 1945 carrying as much as they could muster with only an hour’s notice to leave camp.
They began in formation, four abreast, but soon deteriorated into a single file stretching miles into the distance. Some of the prisoners found it exhilarating to be out on the road – enjoying ‘the freedom of walking through the countryside after so many years of confinement’, as one wrote in an anonymous diary held by the RAF Ex–Prisoner of War Association. - The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p69
Gorlitz Road
2 miles out of Stalag Luft III heading on Gorlitz Road, (now the 296 Lotnikow Alianckich Road).
They began in formation, four abreast, but soon deteriorated into a single file stretching miles into the distance. Some of the prisoners found it exhilarating to be out on the road – enjoying ‘the freedom of walking through the countryside after so many years of confinement’, as one wrote in an anonymous diary held by the RAF Ex–Prisoner of War Association.
- The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p69
Czerna
Along the Gorlitz Road, (now the 296 Lotnikow Alianckich Road passing through the village of Czerna), just a few minutes away from the underpass of the Autobahn, (now E36), that some POWs took a brief rest before moving onto Halbau, (now Ilowa).
They began in formation, four abreast, but soon deteriorated into a single file stretching miles into the distance. Some of the prisoners found it exhilarating to be out on the road – enjoying ‘the freedom of walking through the countryside after so many years of confinement’, as one wrote in an anonymous diary held by the RAF Ex–Prisoner of War Association.
- The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p69
A person riding a bicycle on a snowy sidewalk in a residential neighborhood with houses and trees, overcast sky.
A cold, snowy street scene in a small town with residential houses, snow-covered trees, and cloudy sky. The street has a crosswalk and sidewalk on each side, with power lines overhead.
A person riding a bicycle on a sidewalk in a small town during winter, with leafless trees, icy patches on the ground, and houses and buildings along the street.
A small town street scene on a cloudy winter day with leafless trees, a few pedestrians, and buildings with various architectural styles, including a half-timbered house, a pink building, and a yellow building. The street is partially wet with some patches of snow and ice.
Halibut Church
10 miles and 4 ½ hours into The Long March, Halibau Church, (now Ilowa) in the centre of the picture was refuge on the first night for POWs from Centre Camp Stalag Luft III. During a raging blizzard 600 POWs took refuge inside the church with 1,400 taking refuge in the crypt behind the church and the school beside that is still a school today.
Friewaldau
Passing through Friewaldau, (now Gozdnica) the initial group of POWs from Stalag Luft III setting the route for The Long March found, as Douglas William Finlay RAF DFC wrote in his POW diary, “…civilians quite friendly…”
Friewaldau was reached by mid-morning after 18 miles forced marching.
Friedwaldau is the fist good sized town which we reach in the afternoon, No real food yet; only hasty snacks from tins when we pause for the ten minute rest and, worst of all, nothing to drink. We sit in the gutter while it snows for three hours, and try to get a decent cold meal, scrounging hot water from houses.
- Squadron Leader Laurie Simpson, POW roommate of Douglas Finlay
- ‘OPS’ Victory At All Costs, Andrew R.B. Simpson, p381
Friewaldau II
Passing through Friewaldau, (now Gozdnica) the initial group of POWs from Stalag Luft III setting the route for The Long March found, as Douglas William Finlay RAF DFC wrote in his POW diary, “…civilians quite friendly…”
Friewaldau was reached by mid-morning after 18 miles forced marching.
Friedwaldau is the fist good sized town which we reach in the afternoon, No real food yet; only hasty snacks from tins when we pause for the ten minute rest and, worst of all, nothing to drink. We sit in the gutter while it snows for three hours, and try to get a decent cold meal, scrounging hot water from houses.
- Squadron Leader Laurie Simpson, POW roommate of Douglas Finlay
- ‘OPS’ Victory At All Costs, Andrew R.B. Simpson, p381
A small town street with houses, power lines, and a winding road warning sign indicating sharp curves for 3 kilometers.
A straight snowy road flanked by snow-covered trees on both sides under an overcast sky.
Barns of Springruh
After 12 hours of walking leaving Stalag Luft III at 4am on the morning of 28th January 1945 in -25c temperatures covering 22 miles Douglas Finlay and other POWs reached their first stopping point of barns in the village of Springruh, now Lipna.
Sun 28.1.45: …marched on at 15:30 reaching Springruh at dusk – bitterly cold. Paddy all in – Curly and I carry him – long wait for a barn 12 hrs rest. Distance 35 kilos – worst day of all.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
A winding dirt and gravel road with tire tracks, flanked by snow-covered ground and leafless trees, in a winter forest scene.
A snowy street scene with parked cars on the right side, and small shops and stalls on the left side. There's a person with an orange umbrella and snow sleds on the sidewalk. Snow-covered trees line the background and power lines run overhead.
Snow-covered road on a small bridge in a residential area with houses and trees, street signs, and a police vehicle.
Bad Maskau Theatre
The cinema, cream coloured building closed in 2010, that Douglas Finlay and hundreds of other POWs took shelter for 3 days in Bad Maskau. Thousands of POWs crossed the River Neisse for their second night having walked another 20 miles into The Long March. Douglas took shelter, a hot brew and a good wash in the cinema
Maskau Park a UNESCO Heritage Site runs either side of the River Neisse encompassing the German town of Bad Maskau and the Polish town of Leknica.
Mon 29.1.45: …Muskau at 1900 – quartered in Theatre – crowded but warm & dry – hot brew & good wash – distance 30 kilos.
Tues 30.1.45: Quiet day at Maskau – people friendly trading for cigs etc. Germans supply bread & marg at last.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
A snow-covered city street view of a large yellow building with a red door, small round windows, and a staircase leading to the entrance. There is a person walking on the snow-covered sidewalk and a leafless tree on the right side.
Bad Maskau
Entering the town of Bad Maskau hundreds of POWs took shelter and rest for 3 days. Douglas Finlay and thousands of POWs crossed the River Neisse for their second night having walked another 20 miles into The Long March. Douglas took shelter, a hot brew and a good wash in the Theatre.
Maskau Park a UNESCO Heritage Site runs either side of the River Neisse encompassing the German town of Bad Maskau and the Polish town of Leknica.
Mon 29.1.45: …Muskau at 1900 – quartered in Theatre – crowded but warm & dry – hot brew & good wash – distance 30 kilos.
Tues 30.1.45: Quiet day at Maskau – people friendly trading for cigs etc. Germans supply bread & marg at last.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
A snow-covered city street with residential buildings on both sides, street lamps, and snow-covered trees, during overcast daytime.
Leaving Bad Maskau
Leaving Bad Maskau en route to Spremberg.
Fri 2.2.45. Sledges abandoned after 4km – packed up! – heavy going carry food – reached Granstun [Grausteinj] at dawn, 3hrs sleep in a barn.
- POW diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
Derek Hodgkinson POW wrote;
We met up with North Compound column on the outskirts of Muskau and moved together into the open countryside. The conditions were appalling. The snow had been replaced by a thick slush and mud. It quickly became apparent that sledging was near impossible. A few hardy individuals struggled on, but sledge after sledge had to be abandoned with their contents. After an hour or so the clouds cleared and the moon came out – to reveal the full horror of the situation. It looked like the retreat from Moscow. Sledges were upended with their contents spread all over the roadside verges; prisoners frantically trying to stuff as much as they could into kit bags, which they then had to carry over their shoulders or under their arms. Perhaps the most pathetic sight I saw was a chap sitting, crying, on his sledge, the sole contents of which were the heaped pages of the book he had spent the last three years writing; he knew he could not carry them, and yet he could not bring himself to abandon them.
- ‘OPS’ Victory At All Costs, Andrew R.B. Simpson, p386
A snow-covered roundabout with multiple roads converging, traffic signs including a blue arrow and yield, and trees in a rural landscape under cloudy sky.
Spremberg Train Station Approach
The approach road to today’s Spremberg train station. POWs walked along this approach road to get on trains at the original station, now disused on the right background, beside the modern station.
Fri 2.2.45…0730-1030 – Marched on to Spremberg – reached Military Barracks at 1400hrs – Germans supply hot meal – joined by East Camp =- left 1400 hrs on train 1730. Distance for day 30km. – 40 officers/cattle truck – departed about midnight.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
For most of the Sagan prisoners of war the arching was over, but there was still no sign of an end to their journey. In a siding outside of [Spremberg] prisoners were packed into a cattle train, seventy to a truck. There were no window, and the only light came through the cracks in the wooden sides, which also provided some welcome ventilation. Many of these men also had dysentery, and the filth and the stench were overpowering.
- The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p.80
A historic red brick train station with parking lot in front, surrounded by snow on cloudy day.
Tarmstadt Train Station
After 3 days crammed into train carriages the POWs disembarked at Tarmstadt train station, the platform on the left, where they continued their march for another 3km before reaching Camp Marlag Milag und Nord where they were deloused and searched for 2 hours.
Marlag Milag und Nord a former naval prisoner of war camp declared unfit and unsanitary by the Red Cross housed this new intake of POWs for 2 months before they were force marched for another 80 miles over 15 days to reach camp at Lubeck.
Sun 4.2.45: …Verden 12000 – 1500 – first water of trip – atrocious treatment – Tarmstadt at 16.30 – left train and marched 3 km to Marlag – reach camp 17.30, kept waiting in wet until midnight while 2000 POW were searched – finally in bed about 0100 hrs & so to sleep.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
On the three-day train journey from Spremberg, described as ‘a hell hole’ [Hartnell-Beavis] on achingly hard floors, fellow travellers lay side by side like sardines, overlapping each other so that some inevitably ended up on top of the others. Half of them were ill. For one whole night they cowered as the train sat in Hanover station during an air raid. Finally they reach Marlag Nord, a camp normally reserved for naval prisioners of war which was/ to be their new home. The Red Cross had already condemned it as unfit and insanitary. As he walked through the gates, Hartnell-Beavis thought it ‘the most derelict collection of huts I had ever set eyes on’.
The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p.82
Disembarking at Tarmstadt train station the POWs left Tarmstadt and walked another 3km to reach Camp Marlag Milag und Nord. Here is the road between Tarmstadt and Camp Marlag at Westertimke.
Sun 4.2.45: …Verden 12000 – 1500 – first water of trip – atrocious treatment – Tarmstadt at 16.30 – left train and marched 3 km to Marlag – reach camp 17.30, kept waiting in wet until midnight while 2000 POW were searched – finally in bed about 0100 hrs & so to sleep.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
Tarmstadt at 1630 hrs – left train and marched 3 kms to a Larlag – reached it at 1800 hrs but kept waiting in heavy fog and mist on waterlogged road until after midnight while 2,000 POWs were individually searched. This was the lat straw. Quiote a few collapsed waiting to enter the camp. Finally we got to sleep on the brick floor of a hut with a bit of wood straw at 0230 hrs
- J.A Rydings POW in Stalg Luft III hut with Douglas Finlay
We quickly tumble out of the train and then move off slowly up the road, with frequent stops, to arrive at a Navy camp in the dark. Instead of going straight in – and I don’t think I shall ever be so glad to see a POW camp – we stand in the slush and cold for three hours. This wait is absolutely the end – exhausted, dirty, hungry, and thirsty – and so near rest and warmth!
- Willatt, POW,
- ‘OPS’ Victory At All Costs, Andrew R.B. Simpson, p390
Entrance to Camp Marlag Milag und Nord
After 3 days crammed into train carriages the POWs disembarked at Tarmstadt train station, the platform on the left, where they continued their march for another 3km before reaching Camp Marlag Milag und Nord where they were deloused and searched for 2 hours.
Marlag Milag und Nord a former naval prisoner of war camp declared unfit and unsanitary by the Red Cross housed this new intake of POWs for 2 months before they were force marched for another 80 miles over 15 days to reach camp at Lubeck.
On the three-day train journey from Spremberg, described as ‘a hell hole’ [Hartnell-Beavis] on achingly hard floors, fellow travellers lay side by side like sardines, overlapping each other so that some inevitably ended up on top of the others. Half of them were ill. For one whole night they cowered as the train sat in Hanover station during an air raid. Finally they reach Marlag Nord, a camp normally reserved for naval prisioners of war which was/ to be their new home. The Red Cross had already condemned it as unfit and insanitary. As he walked through the gates, Hartnell-Beavis thought it ‘the most derelict collection of huts I had ever set eyes on’.
- The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p.82
Sun 4.2.45: …Tarmstadt at 16.30 – left train and marched 3 km to Marlag – reach camp 17.30, kept waiting in wet until midnight while 2000 POW were searched – finally in bed about 0100 hrs & so to sleep.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
Camp Marlag Milag und Nord
After 3 days crammed into train carriages the POWs disembarked at Tarmstadt train station, the platform on the left, where they continued their march for another 3km before reaching Camp Marlag Milag und Nord where they were deloused and searched for 2 hours.
Marlag Milag und Nord a former naval prisoner of war camp declared unfit and unsanitary by the Red Cross housed this new intake of POWs for 2 months before they were force marched for another 80 miles over 15 days to reach camp at Lubeck.
On the three-day train journey from Spremberg, described as ‘a hell hole’ [Hartnell-Beavis] on achingly hard floors, fellow travellers lay side by side like sardines, overlapping each other so that some inevitably ended up on top of the others. Half of them were ill. For one whole night they cowered as the train sat in Hanover station during an air raid. Finally they reach Marlag Nord, a camp normally reserved for naval prisioners of war which was/ to be their new home. The Red Cross had already condemned it as unfit and insanitary. As he walked through the gates, Hartnell-Beavis thought it ‘the most derelict collection of huts I had ever set eyes on’.
- The Last Escape by John Nichol & Tony Rennell, p.82
Sun 4.2.45: …Tarmstadt at 16.30 – left train and marched 3 km to Marlag – reach camp 17.30, kept waiting in wet until midnight while 2000 POW were searched – finally in bed about 0100 hrs & so to sleep.
- POW Diary, Douglas William Finlay, RAF, DFC
A rural intersection with a yield sign, a small road branching off, and fields with trees and a house in the background.
A dirt path winding through a wooded area with trees and patches of snow on the ground, and a utility pole on the right side.
Empty residential street with leafless trees, snow patches, wet pavement, and overcast sky.
Residential house with a white lower level, dark upper level with small black shingles, brown window frames, a brown front door, and a small front yard enclosed by a brown wooden fence. There are two yellow road signs in front of the house indicating directions to Zeven and Bremen.
A street scene with a red high-heeled shoe sculpture on the left, traffic lights showing red, a pedestrian crossing with a person walking, and directional signs in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A suburban street scene with a parking lot, a building, and directional signs indicating routes to Hamburg, Bremen, and other locations. Clear skies and leafless trees suggest early spring or late fall.
A small wooden barn sits in a green grassy field with sunlight casting shadows. A line of trees with sparse leaves is in the background against a clear blue sky.
A quiet residential street with leafless trees, brick houses, green lawns, and sidewalks on both sides, during daytime with clear skies.
A rural road lined with leafless trees on both sides, stretching into the distance under a clear blue sky.
Open farmland with newly tilled soil and multiple high-voltage power lines and towers stretching across the horizon under a clear blue sky.
Road blocked by construction signs and barrier, with construction vehicles and equipment in the background under an overcast sky, and leafless trees on either side.
A small town street with brick buildings, parked cars, and pedestrians. A shop with a sign that reads 'SCARLET fleur' is visible in the background, and there are buses and streetlights along the road.
A straight rural road with trees lining both sides, overcast sky, and vineyard fields in the background.
A gravel farm driveway leading into a grove of leafless orchard trees, with a large sign on the right side reading 'Obsthof Hauschildt, Hofladen: 250 m links'.
An empty street with traffic lights, road signs, and a church with a tall steeple in the background, in a small town.
A waterfront promenade with a few people walking, benches, a bicycle, a trash can, and a sign pointing left to a ferry called Cranz-Blankenese. The scene is overcast with a view of water and distant land or buildings.
A park with green grass, a sidewalk, bushes, and trees leading to a water body under a partly cloudy sky.
View of a waterway with two piers on each side, leading into a calm body of water with a distant shoreline and a cloudy sky overhead.
A wide river scene with three black pilings in the water, numbered 0, 2, and 4. The sky is overcast, and in the distance, a large industrial crane is visible on the horizon.
A small creek surrounded by lush green trees and bushes, with a sign depicting an anchor on a white background with a red border, indicating a boat or water-related restriction.
A rural scene with a sidewalk, a tree, and a cultivated field in the background. The sky is clear with some clouds. There is a street sign with the name 'Hans-Heyden-Straße' and a small directional sign labeled 'RS'.
Empty residential street with traffic lights, trees, sidewalk, and a 30 km/h speed limit sign.
An empty sports field on a partly cloudy day with a person and a dog in the distance, surrounded by trees and houses.
Construction site with dirt ground and partially built foundation walls, with houses and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.
A quiet suburban street with houses, trees, and several road signs, including a yellow sign indicating the town of Lokfeld.
A quiet residential street with parked cars on the right side, houses with different architectural styles in the background, and a cloudy sky overhead.
People walking along a pedestrian street in a European city, lined with colorful buildings, shops, and benches, under a cloudy sky.
Construction site along a river with cranes and piles of dirt, trees on both sides of the river, and cloudy sky.
View of a construction site with cranes, construction workers, piles of sand, and construction materials; residential houses on a hill in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A curved two-lane road with a sidewalk on the left side, bordered by grassy land and small trees with white blossoms. To the right, there is a dirt shoulder and shrubbery. Two people are riding bicycles along the sidewalk under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A street scene with trees, houses, and street signs in a residential area on a partly cloudy day.
A small town scene with a group of four children walking past a stone fountain, surrounded by trees blooming with pink flowers, and residential houses in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A rural street with cobblestone pavement, trees on both sides, and a building with a red roof in the background. There are traffic signs, including a no parking sign on the left and a speed limit sign on the right.
A quiet cobblestone street in a small village with red brick buildings, leafless trees, and a partly cloudy sky.
A historical old brick building complex with cobblestone pathways, green lawn, trees, and a cloudy sky.
An old brick building with a steep gray roof, blue doors, and windows, situated in a rural area with grass, a tree, and a cloudy sky.
A large brick barn with a weathered gray shingle roof, two small cupolas, and a sign indicating it was built in 1892. The barn has several windows and doors, with a smaller attached structure to the right.
A lakeside scene with calm water in the foreground, trees along the shoreline, and houses with red roofs and brick walls under a partly cloudy sky in the background.
A winding paved road in a forest with leafless trees and green foliage, cast shadows on the road during daytime.
A paved pathway in a park lined with leafless trees, with red brick buildings in the background and a row of recycling bins on the right side.
A green field with a row of leafless trees under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Open grassy field with a paved alleyway, electrical pole, and a small red and white building behind a fence, under a cloudy sky.
Exterior view of Lübeck Airport in Germany with parking lot, crosswalk, and control tower under partly cloudy sky.
Exterior of an airport terminal with parked cars, a tree, flagpoles, and a clear sky with clouds.