The 'Great Escape' tunnel, nicknamed Harry, was 111 meters long and took over a year to excavate.
Prisoners used thousands of empty powdered milk cans to create ventilation ducts for their tunnels.
The camp was specifically built for Allied airmen, who the Germans considered more difficult to guard than ground forces.
In 1945, the prisoners were forced on a brutal 'Long March' during the coldest winter of the war to prevent their liberation by Soviet forces.
The camp utilized 'sand traps'—small bags worn under trouser legs—to surreptitiously disperse yellow subsoil from the tunnels into the prison yard.
The museum holds a scale reconstruction of the tunnels to help visitors understand the technical challenges faced by the POWs.
Only three of the 76 men who escaped through the tunnel successfully reached neutral or Allied-held territory.
Stalag Luft III is a former German Air Force prisoner-of-war camp located in present-day Żagań, Poland, internationally renowned as the site of the 'Great Escape' in 1944. The site now functions as the Museum of the Allied Prisoner of War Camps, preserving the history of Allied airmen held captive during World War II. Visitors can explore reconstructed tunnels, barrack foundations, and the original perimeter layout of the camp. The museum grounds include a dedicated memorial to the 50 officers executed by the Gestapo following their recapture. Exhibits display authentic artifacts recovered from the site, personal items of the prisoners, and detailed documentation of the elaborate tunnel-digging operations codenamed Tom, Dick, and Harry. The camp is situated within a forest area, which historically served to conceal the POW infrastructure from aerial detection.
The memorial dedicated to the 50 escapees and the entrance to the reconstructed tunnel shaft.
Wear sturdy walking shoes, as the site covers a large area with uneven forest paths.
Bring insect repellent if visiting during the summer months due to the woodland location.
Check the museum's official website for temporary outdoor exhibit closures due to weather or archaeological work.
Do not attempt to stray from marked trails, as some parts of the site remain unstable or restricted.
Closed on Mondays during the off-season; check website for potential winter schedule restrictions.
Respectful behavior is required as this is a memorial site; refrain from entering cordoned-off archaeological sections.
