00:00During the night of the 2nd of February 1945, approximately 500 inmates, almost all of them
00:06Soviet officers, attempted to escape from the Melfiertel sub-camp of the Mauthausen-Kuzin
00:11concentration camp. They attacked the watchtowers and managed to occupy one of them. The electrified
00:17barbed wire fence was short-circuited with wet blankets so the inmates could climb over it.
00:22Many of the escapees were too exhausted to get very far and soon collapsed.
00:27Those who did not manage to reach the woods were shot that night by the SS.
00:33Immediately after the escape, the SS organized a major search in which all the members of the
00:38SS headquarter staff, including Josef Riegler, the gendarmerie, army units, SA divisions,
00:44and Hitler Youth Groups took part. The SS order was not to bring any inmates back alive.
00:53Discover the full story on worldhistory.tv
00:58Let's take a look for the way to Laby.
00:58We'll see you soon.
00:59.
