Out of Colditz: My Father the POW and the Nazi Who Controlled His Fate by David Lascelles

 

David Lascelles is the 8th Earl of Harewood.   He is the grandson of the late Princess Mary, Princess Royal, who married Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood, in 1922.

During the Second World War, Lord Harewood's father, George, 7th Earl of Harewood (1923-2011), was a POW held by the Germans at Colditz with other prominent POWs.

From Amazon:

"The astonishing true story of the high-profile hostages in Colditz Castle and the Nazi general who spared their lives, from David Lascelles, the son of one of the prisoners, George, Earl of Harewood

The nephew of the King. The son of the Viceroy of India. Churchill's nephew. Held captive at the notorious Colditz prisoner of war camp, they were the Prominente: scions of the British establishment, and pawns in the hands of Nazi leaders.

As a German defeat loomed, the SS head of the POW camps Gottlob Berger made a pivotal decision: he would disobey direct orders and spare their lives. "Please remember what I have done for you when the war ends," he asked. This Nazi overseer, who would later be convicted of war crimes, held their future in his hands.

Eighty years later, David Lascelles―who would never have been born if his father had been executed―retraces the Prominentes' extraordinary journey and wonders who Gottlob Berger was and what motivated his fateful decision: compassion? Remorse? Or self-interest?"

The UK edition (Profile) was published earlier this month.  The US edition (St. Martin's Press)  will be available in January 2027.

https://amzn.to/3VZYzal  (US)

https://link.amazon/B0fIR5jcH (UK)

I look forward to early 2027 when I can order the book.    I do have other books ready to read.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2022/02/princess-mary-weds-her-viscount.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2021/02/princess-mary-marries-lord-lascelles.html 

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2019/09/lord-harewood-marries-miss-stein.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2019/06/george-vis-nephew-german-captive.html   

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/06/lord-lascelles-captured.html  

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/03/princess-marys-son-george-is-baptized.html 

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/07/george-henry-hubert-lascelles-7th-earl.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/07/what-may-have-led-to-estrangement.html