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Quiz about Colditz
Quiz about Colditz

Colditz Trivia Quiz


Colditz was supposed to be a maximun security POW camp for Allied prisoners during WWII. It soon became the stuff of legend, too.

A multiple-choice quiz by Tinky65. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Tinky65
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
186,240
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
10 / 15
Plays
2805
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 31 (13/15), Guest 1 (12/15), Guest 174 (10/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. What country was Colditz located in? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. What common bond did all the POWs have? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. What security level did Colditz have? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Who was charged with running Colditz? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. What type of building was Colditz?

Answer: (One Word ...)
Question 6 of 15
6. The British hired a magician to help find new and unique ways to get escape equipment into the prison in parcels from home.


Question 7 of 15
7. An "Appell" was one of the most important things to happen in Colditz. This daily event is better known as ____ ? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. Alain Le Ray, and Pierre Mairesse hold this distinction as the first at Colditz. Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. This RAF Ace is perhaps one of the more known of the Colditz prisoners.

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname ... known for his 2 "tin" legs)
Question 10 of 15
10. There was an escape museum in the Kommandant's office.


Question 11 of 15
11. Mike Sinclair became the first, and only known Colditz prisoner to have this happen to him. Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. How many men actually made a totally successful escape back to Allied territory from Colditz? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Which of these was NOT a method of escape out of Colditz? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. What was perhaps the most famous escape vehicle to ever be built in Colditz? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. When was Colditz liberated? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 23 2024 : Guest 31: 13/15
Feb 13 2024 : Guest 1: 12/15
Feb 13 2024 : Guest 174: 10/15
Feb 07 2024 : PurpleComet: 10/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What country was Colditz located in?

Answer: Germany

Colditz is located in Saxony, which after the war became part of East Germany.
2. What common bond did all the POWs have?

Answer: Officers who were high escape risks

Officers from allied nations who had proven themselves likely to escape, and many had already done so, were sent to Colditz.(There were only 2 NCO's in residence.) A few "special" prisoners were held there, but mainly because of relatives of some power. For example, a nephew of the Queen of England, and the godson of Winston Churchill were held, perhaps as bargaining chips for later.
3. What security level did Colditz have?

Answer: Maximum

Colditz was thought to be escape proof and guarded very well ... or so the Germans thought.
4. Who was charged with running Colditz?

Answer: German Army

Reinholt Eggers was chief of security. Many years after the war, he met with former inmates, who finally revealed many of their secrets to him. He was, by most accounts a fair and just person, even at a time when Germany was not known running humane prisons.
5. What type of building was Colditz?

Answer: Castle

Colditz was an old castle that had gone through many changes. It had at various times been a home for royalty, an asylum for the insane and a common prison. Today, one can tour the castle, and see how the inmates lived during the war.
6. The British hired a magician to help find new and unique ways to get escape equipment into the prison in parcels from home.

Answer: True

An entire department was created to do just that. An eccentric magician was hired, and created things such as maps hidden in records, compasses in walnut shells, and toothbrushes that could turn into escape tools. Prisoners were informed that these "naughty parcels" were coming through an intricate system of coded letters from home.
7. An "Appell" was one of the most important things to happen in Colditz. This daily event is better known as ____ ?

Answer: roll call

"Appells" were held numerous times of the day, and night. When a prisoner was thought to have escaped, an appell was held. However, there was a way around it. Prisoners who actually escaped, but never left the confines of the prison - better known as "ghosts" - took the places of those gone to throw off the counts. Just another thing to confuse the Germans.
8. Alain Le Ray, and Pierre Mairesse hold this distinction as the first at Colditz.

Answer: Escape to freedom

These two Frenchmen had the first "homerun"- escape the prison, Germany, and all the way back to the safety of England. They later fought with the Free French.
9. This RAF Ace is perhaps one of the more known of the Colditz prisoners.

Answer: Bader

Douglas Bader became on ace during the Battle of Britain. Shot down later in the war, he was sent to Colditz because of his numerous escape attempts. Although very popular with the British public, he was not always so popular with fellow prisoners. He was known to throw his weight around and even refused his medical orderly early release because he could not return to England also.
10. There was an escape museum in the Kommandant's office.

Answer: True

Whenever a new and interesting way to escape was discovered, pictures, tools, even full costumes representing the act were put on display for visiting Germans.
11. Mike Sinclair became the first, and only known Colditz prisoner to have this happen to him.

Answer: Killed while escaping

Sinclair was shot by an over-zealous guard during his attempt. He became the one and only prisoner to die in this manner. He was buried with full military honors by the Germans. Today, he lies in a British Military Cemetary outside Berlin.
12. How many men actually made a totally successful escape back to Allied territory from Colditz?

Answer: 35

Although hundreds tried, only 35 made it. They came from England, Belgium, France and Poland.
13. Which of these was NOT a method of escape out of Colditz?

Answer: None, all three were used

If you could think up a method to escape, chances are you could try it. A committee approved most attempts, and aided people with fake passes, money, and maps.
14. What was perhaps the most famous escape vehicle to ever be built in Colditz?

Answer: Glider

The Colditz glider was almost complete when the camp was liberated. It had to be left behind when the prisoners left. Several people later returned to try to salvage it, only to find that the Russians who took over the camp used it for firewood. Only the plans for it, and one photo exist. Several years ago, a documentary was done about the camp.

It included reproducing the glider. It appears to have been capable of flight.
15. When was Colditz liberated?

Answer: April, 1945

Although the Americans liberated the prison, the area was soon turned over to the Soviet Union. All the prisoners had been liberated by then, however.
Source: Author Tinky65

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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