How Much Do You Know About the Real 'Great Escape'?
Many know of "The Great Escape" thanks to the popular 1963 film of the same name. However, fewer know that the film was based on a very real story of prisoners during World War II who did, in fact, plan and execute a Great Escape.
If you think you know about the true Great Escape, take this quiz and find out. You probably know less about this incredible and tragic tale than you think!
1. Who wrote the book “The Great Escape” in 1950?
- A) Paul Brickhill
- B) Roger Bushell
- C) Bob Nelson
- D) Herbert Massey
Answer:
Paul Brickhill
2. When did the Great Escape occur?
- A) January 1-2, 1945
- B) February 27-28, 1943
- C) March 24-25, 1944
- D) April 1-2, 1944
Answer:
March 24-25, 1944
3. In which WWII prison camp did the Great Escape take place?
- A) Dulag Luft
- B) Stalag Luft III
- C) Oflag VII-D Tittmoning
- D) None of the Above
Answer:
Stalag Luft III
4. What were the three tunnels built during the Great Escape called?
- A) #1, #2, #3
- B) Tom, Dick, Harry
- C) Eagle, Wolf, Tiger
- D) Freedom, Liberty, Peace
Answer:
Tom, Dick, Harry
5. The Great Escape was the second escape from Stalag Luft III; what is the first commonly called?
- A) The First Escape
- B) The Trojan Horse Escape
- C) The Quiet Escape
- D) None of the above
Answer:
The First Escape
6. How many prisoners worked on the tunnels for the Great Escape?
- A) 50
- B) 200
- C) 400
- D) 600
Answer:
600
7. How many were able to escape during the Great Escape?
- A) 256
- B) 188
- C) 99
- D) 76
Answer:
76
8. How many of the 76 escapees were captured by the Nazis?
- A) 76
- B) 73
- C) 55
- D) 0
Answer:
73
9. How many of the captured escapees were shot immediately?
- A) 73
- B) 50
- C) 10
- D) 0
Answer:
50
10. The following are the names of the three men who successfully escaped…
- A) Per Bergsland, Jens Muller, and Bram van der Stok
- B) Paul Brickhill, Charlie Pilz, and Leonard Henry Trent
- C) Charlie Pilz, Paul Brickhill, and Per Bergsland
- D) Unknown
Answer:
Per Bergsland, Jens Muller, and Bram van der Stok
11. Which of the following was not a reason the prisoners organized the Great Escape?
- A) To escape from a prison of war
- B) To rejoin the war
- C) To inconvenience the German war machine
- D) To attack the guards of the prison
Answer:
To attack the guards of the prison
12. Why were so many of the escapees captured?
- A) Because of the excessive snow, many of the men had to travel by road
- B) One of the prisoners told the guards where they were going
- C) The escapees were sick
- D) The guards captured them before they even got out of the tunnel
Answer:
Because of the excessive snow, many of the men had to travel by road
13. Who is credited with planning and leading the Great Escape?
- A) Jens Muller
- B) Paul Brickhill
- C) Roger Bushell
- D) Per Bergsland
Answer:
Roger Bushell
14. What did the prisoners call the Great Escape before it happened?
- A) Mission Impossible
- B) Big X
- C) The Great Escape
- D) Secret Escape
Answer:
Big X
15. Who were the three actors who played the survivors in the film “The Great Escape” in 1963?
- A) Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Sir Richard Attenborough
- B) Gregory Peck, Jack Lemmon, and John Wayne
- C) Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, and James Dean
- D) John Wayne, Steve McQueen, and Cary Grant
Answer:
Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Sir Richard Attenborough
