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A far cry from Colditz: Games, gardening and strolling to church... the life of a German PoW in Britain

For the captured British troops held in German prisoner of war camps, life was truly harsh.

Some who survived time in the stalags and officers' camps such as Colditz spoke of torture, forced route marches, meagre daily rations of bread and soup...

In contrast, daily life for Germans held in PoW camps in Britain seems to have been almost relaxed, if these astonishing images are anything to go by.

One shows a group in white dinner jackets, playing clarinet, accordion, drums, guitar and violin in a dance band.

In another scene, they appear relaxed as they are marched along a country lane towards the village church for a Sunday morning service.

Others show a model village and fountain built by the PoWs, who pose happily by their tents.

The remarkable scenes come from rare film footage chronicling the friendly, orderly atmosphere at No 633 (German) Prisoner of War Company in Nottinghamshire.

The film is going on public display for the first time at a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester.
Read entire article at Daily Mail (UK)