CALGARY - During the second world war, 76 prisoners of war escaped by a man made tunnel from the German Luft Waffe camp - Stalag Luft III in Sagan Germany (now Zagan, Poland). All but three of those who escaped were recaptured and 50 were executed contrary to the Geneva Convention. Today, the site where this historical event took place lays barren, occupied only by rows of planted trees.

In November 2000, an International Great Escape Memorial Committee was struck with a mandate to establish a memorial site that would ensure the memory of this extraordinary event This international committee consists of Paul Tobolski (Calgary) - son of Pawel Tobolski murdered by the Gestapo for his role in the planning of the Great Escape, Carrie Tobolski (Calgary) - granddaughter of Pawel Tobolski, Sidney Dowse (Monaco) -former POW and survivor of the Great Escape, Jan Bartelski (London, England) - a retiredWorld War II pilot, Andrew Wiseman (England) -former POW from Stalag Luft III, Captain S. Wandzilak (deceased) and Ludwik Martel (London, England) - last remaining Polish battle of Britain pilot.

It was deemed necessary by the committee to commission the design and construction of a memorial site that would mark the entrance and exit of the man made tunnel. It is hoped the addition of this monument will increase awareness of this historical event through education as well as serve as a location for those who lost family members to grieve and find closure.

In November 2001, Carrie Tobolski and Calgary architect, Ryan Scarff traveled to Zagan, Poland and met with the Mayor, the Zagan Municipal Council and the Cultural Minister to discuss the project. Full written support was granted to pursue this project.

A recent graduate of Dalhousie University, and a native Calgarian Ryan Scarff completed the design of the monuments as his Architectural Masters Thesis. This memorial landscape park consists of five buildings/monuments in total including a tower, a chapel, the tunnel entrance consisting of an underground sky pavilion, the tunnel exit memorial and an outdoor landscape piece. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2003 with the unveiling for the 60th Anniversary of the Great Escape planned for the spring of 2004.

Currently the International Great Escape Memorial Committee is actively pursuing interested third parties to assist in the financing of this project. Poland has agreed to provide manpower resources to assist with the research and construction for this project. It is the responsibility of the Great Escape Memorial Committee to secure all financing for this project.

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