If I say the word Colditz do you think of escape? We did. All we knew about this part of Germany was that people from all over Europe had perfected the art of getting away from it. Colditz Castle at night, as seen from the town. Tell any Brit of a certain age you are going to Colditz on holiday and they will be interested, bordering on thrilled. Most Germans have never heard of the infamous prison in Saxony that once leaked like a sieve.
Our kids are in the dark about the history so we take along a projector and threaten to show them the film if they try to escape.
But then no one is actually that bothered about escaping from this historic hostel. Except to go swimming, canoeing and to a theme park in nearby Leipzig. We start our 48 hours in Colditz at the museum that specialises in telling a good tale. Colditz Castle sits high on a hill spur overlooking the town of Colditz and the River Zwickauer Mulde in south east Germany.
The Schloss Colditz Youth Hostel is in the former administration wing of the prison, which over the centuries has also been a royal hunting lodge, a poorhouse and a psychiatric hostel.
In the sunshine, it is a warming yellow gold and if you stand in the right place you can catch a sunburst in your photo. The only sign this morning that it was ever a repository for allied prisoners of war officers are the cardboard cut-outs of famous escapees. Yes, cardboard cut-outs that are perfect for Colditz selfies!
