Escape from Germany: The Greatest POW Break-Out of the First World War

by Neil Hanson

It's July, 1918. The most heavily guarded POW camp in the world. Surrounded by steel palisades and barbed-wire fences, patrolled by ferocious dogs and armed guards with orders to shoot to kill, Holzminden was a brutal punishment camp.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I, War

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

It's been a long and winding road... since graduating with a degree in philosophy (now that's useful...) I've been by turns plasterer's mate, holiday camp redcoat, ice cream salesman, exhibition organiser, art critic, rugby league commentator, freelance journalist, editor of the Good Beer Guide, owner of the highest pub in Great Britain and - finally! - a full-time author. It may not be an ideal career path, but it's given me a wealth of experiences that I draw on constantly in my own work.

I'm the author of over 50 published books. Under my own name I usually write narrative non-fiction a.k.a. popular history (though my sales figures suggest that it's never quite as popular as I'd like it to be...), but I have also written a serious novel, a few thrillers, two screenplays, travel writing and even a play-script for a musical as well. And in my day job as a professional "ghostwriter" I've written over forty other books, including a New York Times Number One best-seller.
I've spoken about my work at lectures, writers' festivals and other events all over the world and, when not writing, I'm often to be found riding my bike in the country around my home on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

Reviews

[Wataru · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is intriguing and really makes you want to carry on reading, once you have started you cannot end. It is about a Prison camp in Germany of 1915 when war broke out a year before. They are trying to escape from the camp because of how filthy and horrible it is. They are treated badly and often don't get fed.

[Clinton Sweet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always good to read an almost "forgotten" account of prison escape during wwi. Could never see myself in a position where I'd demonstrate the patience, ingenuity or determination to achieve what these men did. A detailed and well researched book!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book there are not many books on the subject of ww1 PoW escapes and in tried allied fashion it is done in style and to the irritation of the axis power well worth a read!

[Martin Poblete · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book and gave so much detail to their lives and how they escaped

[Steve Shilstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly detailed account of life in a World War One German prison camp.