Escape From The Third Reich

A World War II escape story, as exciting as a Hollywood movie.

History of Nazi Germany.

The Swedish Red Cross expedition to the German concentration camps from March to April 1945 was the largest rescue effort inside Germany during WWII. Led by Count Bernadotte of Wisborg, the mission became known for its distinctive buses: Each bus was purposefully painted entirely white except for the Red Cross emblem on the side so that they would not be mistaken for military targets. According to conservative figures in May 1945, at least 17,000 prisoners were transported to Sweden by these white buses. In this first book to detail this remarkable and hazardous operation, and with never-before-published photographs of the bus journeys, the details of Bernadotte’s harrowing expedition to Ravensbruck concentration camp and his secret negotiations with Heinrich Himmler are revealed.

Of the 400,000 German-speaking Jews that escaped the Third Reich, about 16,000 ended up in Shanghai, China. This groundbreaking volume gathers 20 years of interviews with over 100 former Shanghai refugees. It offers a moving collective portrait of courage, culture shock, persistence, and enduring hope in the face of unimaginable hardships.

As the Soviet troops fought their way ever closer to the Reich Chancellery in the final days of the Third Reich, deep underground in Hitler’s bunker fateful decisions were being made. Hitler and some of those closest to him resolved to commit suicide, whilst others sought to try and escape. But who did manage to slip past the Russian soldiers and reach freedom? How did they escape, and what routes did they take through the ruined streets of Berlin? Equally, what became of those who escaped, where did they go, and what happened to those who did not get away? All of these questions are answered in this book. Following years of research in Berlin, the author has been able to identify the various groups and individuals that left the bunker and has traced the paths taken by those who escaped and those that perished. The final days in Hitler’s bunker are revealed in atmospheric detail, as the Red Army closed in and the inevitable end loomed menacingly nearer with the passing of every hour. Many notable persons, such as Bormann, Speer, Göring and Hanna Reitsch, went to say a last farewell to the Führer, while others, such as Goebbels, prepared themselves for suicide rather than being taken prisoner by the Russians. By using detailed maps showing the escape routes, first-hand testimony from those who survived, photographs of the devastated German capital in 1945, as well as images of the various routes as they can be followed through Berlin today, the author explores the last moments of the Third Reich in startling clarity.

The true story of a risky Swedish mission to liberate thousands of prisoners from the Nazis. The Swedish Red Cross expedition to the German concentration camps in March–April 1945 was the largest rescue effort inside Germany during WWII. Sponsored by the Swedish government and led by Count Bernadotte of Wisborg, the mission became known for its distinctive buses. Each bus was purposely painted entirely white, except for the Red Cross emblem on the side, so that they would not be mistaken for military targets. Due to the chaotic conditions during the last weeks of the war, it is impossible to say exactly how many prisoners were liberated by the expedition, but according to conservative figures, by May 4, 1945, at least 17,000 had been transported to Sweden by the so-called White Buses. Of these, some 8,000 were Danes and Norwegians, around 6,000 were Poles, and more than 2,000 were French citizens. This is the first book to tell the full story of this remarkable and hazardous operation. It also details Bernadotte’s harrowing expedition to Ravensbrück concentration camp and his extraordinary negotiations with Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS who was in charge of the German concentration camps, and tells how, during the course of these discussions, Himmler also made an offer of German surrender—an offer that was rejected by the Allies. Includes never before published photographs

In 1941, 16-year-old Jan Kamieski is sent to Dresden, Germany, as part of the Polish Resistance, where, armed with false papers, he takes up Underground activities and does everything he can within the heartland of the Third Reich to sabotage the Nazi war effort.