New footage shows Nazis joking, laughing

Extraordinary video footage from World War II show prisoners and guards inside the Colditz prison camp showing the guards goofing around and smiling at the camera.

Reports from the Telegraph and Daily Mail state that this footage was bought by a memorabilia collector named Karl Hoeffkes who upon recognizing the footage informed the local authorities at the 11th century Renaissance Colditz castle, the site of the filming. The film -- which is in colour -- shows prisoners gathered for roll call, perhaps more peculiarly the film shows four officers laughing as they cross the bridge by the castle entrance, on jokingly draws and waves his sidearm at the other three, one responds by drawing a sword. Another piece of film shows an officer by a castle window taking off his hat and smiling for the camera. Other footage in an East German town shows an officer doing a Nazi salute while his comrades laugh and smile. This footage was initially filmed by a logistics and supply officer named Walter Langar who was at Colditz early on in the war. It will be shown on Channel 4 tonight in the documentary "Escape from Colditz."