Exhibition "The Bird-Cage"

Laufen Castle had already been converted into a prison for four hundred prisoners in 1862, but was closed in 1932 due to under-use. The National Socialist regime used the castle as an SA sports school in 1933, then as a department of the Reich Labor Service in 1934, and from 1935 to 1938 as a barracks.

At the end of 1939, the Nazi regime ordered the establishment of Oflag VII C at Laufen Castle. Under the control of the Wehrmacht, it was assigned to Military District VII in Munich. Initially, Polish officers and officer cadets were imprisoned there. Little is known about them. At least three of them died in unknown circumstances.

At the Battle of Dunkirk, around 41,000 soldiers from the British Expeditionary Force sent to defend France were taken prisoners by the Germans and, from the end of May 1940, many British officers and officer cadets were transported to Oflag VII C, with Tittmoning Castle serving as a branch camp.

The camp could accommodate 500 prisoners. Already by September 1940, up to 1,460 men were imprisoned in the castle. This had a significant impact on supplies. In spring 1941, many prisoners were transferred to other camps but around 700 remained in Laufen.

The prisoners' daily ration initially consisted of soup and two slices of bread. However, since prisoners of war were subject to the Geneva Convention, they received additional food rations through the Red Cross.

Within the camp, prisoners were able to move relatively freely and also engage in leisure activities. Nevertheless, several prisoners attempted to escape, including the so-called 'Laufen Six'.
Until Oflag VII C closed in 1942, only a few deaths were officially documented. However, documents from camp commander Frey, among others, suggest that the death toll was higher and that war crimes were committed.

On 26 January 1941, camp commander Frey reported the 'transfer' of a corpse to the mayor's office, marking it as 'secret'. Frey was attempting to cover up the shooting of British Lieutenant Edward Dees, who had been shot the previous day for leaning out of a window, classified as an escape attempt.