Colditz Castle

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Colditz Castle
Schloss Colditz
Castle Colditz in 2011
General information
Architectural style	Renaissance
Town or city	Colditz
Country	Germany
Coordinates	51°07′52″N 12°48′27″E / 51.1310°N 12.8074°E / 51.1310; 12.8074
Client	Augustus of Saxony
Owner	State Palaces, Castles and Gardens of Saxony
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Hans Irmisch [de] Peter Kummer

Colditz Castle (or Schloss Colditz in German) is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. The castle is between the towns of Hartha and Grimma on a hill spur over the river Zwickauer Mulde, a tributary of the River Elbe. It had the first wildlife park in Germany when, during 1523, the castle park was converted into one of the largest menageries in Europe.

The castle gained international fame as the site of Oflag IV-C, a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for "incorrigible" Allied officers who had repeatedly attempted to escape from other camps.