As long as people know prisons, they know also prison breaks and escapes. Some of those who are able to manage to escape from the prison are hard criminals and we always hope that they will be seized again as soon as possible. But we have a sympathy for others like POWs. In the following list of risky escapes, we will take a deeper look on some of the famous escapes and we will find who were those who outsmarted their guards. Who were they? What were their situation and motivation? And most importantly – what was their future fate, did they reach freedom or were they recaptured? Here are some of the fascinating stories about dangerous escapes.
10. The Escape of Giacomo Casanova (1757)
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Giacomo Casanova was a famous adventurer and pleasure seeker from the Italian Republic of Venice born in 1725. His name became a synonym for a womanizer and is still widely used today. However, his lifestyle brought him troubles with Church as he did not behave according to 18th-century social norms. Because of that, he was imprisoned in the Doge´s Palace with a sentence of five years. Casanova was able to escape his prison and later, he wrote a book called „Story of My Flight“ about it.
9. Billy the Kid (1881)
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Billy the Kid is one of the most famous gunfighters of the American Wild West of the 19th century. He managed to escape the prison several times. The most famous of his risky escapes happen in 1881. He fled the prison in Lincoln as he killed several men during his successful escape try. Billy the Kid was killed by sheriff Pat Garret three months after his escape.
8. Escape from the Libby Prison (1864)
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During the American Civil War, more than 100 Union POWs managed to escape from the Confederate Libby Prison at Richmond, Virginia. Although the prison was considered to be escape-proof, they were able to dig out the tunnel and escape. It is considered to be one of the most famous and the most dangerous escapes of the Civil War.
7. Escape from the Fort San Cristóbal (1938)
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During the Spanish Civil War of the late 30s, a fort on top of San Cristóbal hill served as a prison camp for POWs. In May, 1938, more than 750 inmates used a mutiny for an escape. However, it turned to be of the most dangerous escapes as only three prisoners succeeded to reach the safety. Others were killed on the run, recaptured or recaptured and sentenced to death.
6. John Dillinger (1933)
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John Dillinger was a gangster of the most „classical era“ of organized crime during the time of the Great Depression. He managed to escape the prison twice. In 1933, he was serving his time in the prison of Lima, Ohio. His gang freed him in a style of other famous risky escapes. During the operation, they killed the sheriff – Jess Sarber.
5. André Devigny (1943)
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André Devigny was a French teacher who joined the French Army and after the defeat of French Army in 1940, he became a member of the anti-German resistance movement. In April 1943, he was imprisoned by Gestapo in the Montluc prison. In August, he and his inmate were able to escape from what was thought to bet he escape-proof prison and to cross Swiss borders. Devigny later re-joined the army and fought to liberate his country.
4. Clovis Jailbreak (2008)
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Eight prisoners of the Clovis Detention Centre in New Mexico were able to cut the hole in the roof and reach the pipes. All of them were charged with serious violent crimes. First three of them were captured in one day after the break, the last one was recaptured in 2012. Clovis Prison Break is known to one of the most dangerous escapes of the modern times.
Also see: The 10 Most Important Inventions in Cinema History
3. The Escape of El Chapo Guzmán (2015)
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JoaquÃn „El Chapo“ Guzmán is a leader of the Mexican drug cartel who now serves his sentence after his recapture following his second prison break. In 2015, he escaped the prison via the tunnel created by his cartel members which lead to the shower in his cell. He was captured again in 2016 by the Mexican special forces.
2. Escape from the Rock (1962)
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One of the most famous and risky escapes from prisons around the world took place in California in 1962. Three criminals escaped from the Alcatraz island prison although it was believed to be impossible to break from that place. Until now, it is not known if all three were able to reach safety or if they died during the escape and the case still remains open.
1. The Great Escape (1944)
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In March 1944, 76 Allied POWs (mainly airmen from Britain and Commonwealth countries as well as Polish, Czechoslovak, French and of other nationalities serving in the RAF) escaped from the German Stalag Luft III prison camp in Poland. Successful escape was done by the tunneling the camp but 73 of 76 allied soldiers were recaptured, 50 of them executed and only three (two Norwegians and one Dutch) were able to reach the safety. It was definitely one of the most dangerous escapes.
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