The Great Escape (1963) – Filming Locations
Adventure / Drama / War · Directed by John Sturges · Starring Steve McQueen
The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.
Where was The Great Escape filmed?
- Füssen, Germany, Füssen – The climactic escape sequence across the Alps toward Switzerland. The iconic castle and Alpine scenery provided the dramatic backdrop for the film's final pursuit and escape to the Swiss border
- Munich, Germany, Munich – Exterior scenes of the German countryside and town sequences. Primary German filming base where much of the on-location work for the POW camp scenes and escape sequences was conducted
- Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, Villingen-Schwenningen – The various escape routes and countryside sequences through the German landscape. The dense Black Forest and rural German landscape served as the setting for the prisoners' cross-country escape attempts
- France – The final leg of the escape as prisoners attempt to reach neutral Switzerland and France. French locations were used to depict the final escape routes as prisoners made their way toward the Swiss border and freedom