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twelve nights and reached the environs of the town of Olomouc in Czechoslovakia, halfway to Hungary. They were caught there and brought back to Srebrna Góra and the Fort of Hohenstein. The German
Kommandant
informed them of the fall of Paris and the approaching end of the war. They spent their time in solitary confinement, instead of being shot as they had expected, until the seven of them who had been recaptured were transferred once more to Fort Spitzberg. Soon afterwards, more prisoners were brought to Fort Hohenstein. When the maximum of fifty was reached (forty-nine Poles and one French airman) atFort Hohenstein, and ninety at Fort Spitzberg, the whole Srebrna Góra contingent, including Admiral Unrug and General Piskor, was transferred to Colditz, which officially became the “special” camp for escapers and other unwelcome prisoners. This was on 1 November 1940. Initially there were only these Poles and the Frenchman.
    Three RAF officers arrived on 5 November and six British Army officers on 7 November, followed later by some more French. So the Castle became an international camp for selected “special” prisoners.
    On his arrival Jędrzej was greeted like an old friend by Priem, now promoted to
Hauptmann
(captain).
    During the period from October 1939 to October 1940 when Colditz had been a transit camp, Poles were not the only incumbents. They left for other destinations in the early summer of 1940. A large number of Belgian officers, prisoners of war, were held there during the summer, replacing the Poles. According to Hauptmann Eggers, who was an
Oberleutnant
(lieutenant) at Colditz in 1939–1940, the Belgians were released on a “general parole” to return to their country.
    On 1 November 1940, the German command at Colditz Castle consisted of the camp commandant (
Herr Kommandant
), Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-Colonel) Schmidt. His second-in-command was Major Menz. The adjutant was Hauptmann Kunze. The principal camp officer, responsible for the administration and discipline of the POWs, was Hauptmann Priem. His assistant was Eggers.
    Eggers says that at the beginning the German staff were quite naive about “security.” He states: “When I arrived at the Castle I found many meters of good rope hanging in the bell tower, quite openly.” There were two security officers, Hauptmann Hans Lange and Hauptmann Lossell. The camp doctor was Hauptmann Dr. Rahm, who bore the familiar title of
der Arzt
, meaning “the doctor,” and also (for the prisoners) a more familiar ribald title of
der Tierarzt
, meaning “the horse-doctor” or “vet.” The staff paymaster was Rittmeister Heinze.
    When the Polish contingent of 140 arrived on 1 November 1940, the camp was empty. The Castle, besides being called a
Sonderlager
(“special camp”), was also labelled
Lager mit besonderer Bewachung
(“camp with special surveillance”).
    The
Kommandant
, Oberstleutnant Schmidt, addressed the Polish contingent at the first
Appell
upon their arrival. Part of his speech was as follows:
    According to dispositions set out in the Geneva Convention for the treatment of prisoners of war, the
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
hasinstituted this Special Prisoner-of-War Camp,
Oflag
IVC Colditz into which you Poles have been admitted as an exceptional case. Poland no longer exists and it is only due to the magnanimity of our Führer that you are benefiting temporarily from the privileges such as will be accorded to prisoners of war of the other belligerent powers who will be held in this camp. You should be grateful to Adolf Hitler who, by his decision, has favored you. You, who in 1939 by your stupid obstinacy were responsible for starting this war.
    The three RAF officers who arrived on 5 November were Flying Officers Howard D. Wardle, Keith Milne and Donald Middleton. Wardle, or Hank as he was called, was a Canadian who had joined the RAF shortly before the war. He