Escape and Evasion Museums and Tours

Recommendations for additions to the following list or corrections are welcome.  Contact the webmaster, Bruce Bolinger, bcbolinger at comcast.net.

In addition to the list below, see also “Air and Space Museum Links” (https://classicairliners.tripod.com/museums.html), which focuses on the US, Canada, and the UK and “Museums/National Monuments and Aerospace Museums” (https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/links-to-other-escape-and-evasion-websites/museums-aerospace-museums/).  Also, at the end of the list below are listings of articles that appeared in the AFEES newsletter about commemorative walks with a link to the part of this website containing pdf files of the newsletters.

Belgium

Canada

France

Italy

  • Monte San Martino Trust, http://msmtrust.org.uk/.  Conducts Freedom Walks in Italy in commemoration of the courage and sacrifice of the Italian country people who rescued thousands of escaping Allied PoWs after the Armistice in 1943.  To view their November 2023 report, click here.
  • WW2 Escape Lines Memorial Society.  ELMS sponsors several different commemorative walks.  See https://ww2escapelines.co.uk/upcoming-events/.  See for example, their “TENNA VALLEY TRAIL – Associazione Casa Della Memoria – 2 days of moderate walks & commemorations – Servigliano, Monte San Martino, Ponte Maglio and Santa Vittoria.”

Netherlands

Pyrenees (France and Spain)

  • Basque Pyreness Freedom Trails’ Association: https://www.bpftaww2.com/en/home/#about.  From their website: “During WW2, routes across the Pyrenees in the Basque Country, along clandestine smugglers’ paths, were a major link in the escape lines’ networks. There were various safe-houses on either side of the border, many of the mountain guides were locals, and Basques cities and many villages were involved.  The aims of BPFTA are to disseminate knowledge of these WWII escape lines over the Basque Pyrenees, to pay tribute to all those involved from either side of the frontier who aided the escapers and evaders, such as the mountain guides (“mugalarris”), those responsible for logistics, the couriers and safe-house keepers, and to the fugitives themselves. We aim to bring these tributes to life through commemorative walks across the frontier and by drawing up educational material for use in second and third level education, both here and abroad.”
  • Friends of the Comète Network, Comete Sud Au Pays Basque, https://cometepaysbasque-blogspot-com.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en
  • Hiking in the Pyrenees, See https://www.pyreneanexperience.com/self-guided-walking-week/ and https://www.pyreneanexperience.com/hiking-pyrenees/.  
  • Pyrenees Mountain Adventure, https://www.pyreneesmountainadventure.com/. Provides information about trekking in the Pyrenees.
  • Somriu Hiking, https://ww2escapelines.co.uk/somriu-hiking/ .  Its website says “We will cross the border following the same routes that those escaping dictatorships on both sides used, to the village of Salau, to commemorate both the history and to remind ourselves of the  need to protect peace and democracy.”

Slovenia

  • The Crow’s Flight Project – https://ww2escapelines.co.uk/mr-stan-johnson-mbe-1934-2015/    “The Trail includes safe-house towns and villages along the route for commemorative events. The complete escape route is nearly 200 miles long over high, rugged, mountainous terrain [with a river to cross!] and takes approximately 11 days, although a very fit team have recently completed it in 9 – however, there is also the option to tackle the route in stages. The route starts at the former Stalag XVIIID POW Camp at Maribor, where the first breakout took place and finishes at the SOE/Partisan landing strip for RAF Dakotas at Otok, from where the escapers were ferried to Bari in Italy. The event usually takes place at the end of September each year; flights and guides are in place and accommodation is available each night.”

Spain

United Kingdom

United States

Articles in the AFEES Newsletter About Commemorative Walks

To view an article listed below, go to the AFEES Newsletter Archive.

  • Commemorative Walks
    • Le Chemin de la Liberte – Fall (September) 2000, pg. 16; July 2001, pg. 2; Spring (March) 2005, pg. 1;
    • Route of Clayton David and Ken Shaver – July 2001, pg. 10;
    • David Family commemorative walk across the Pyrenees – Sept. 2001, pg. 10-12; Spring (March) 2004, pg. 32;
    • Story of Earl Woodard’s family, Lucy, Nathan, Steve, Anne, Debbie, Charley, & Justin on the 2002 Freedom Trail – August 2002, pg. 10;
    • Story of 2002 Freedom Trail eventful and aborted because of a blizzard in July – August 2002, pg. 11;