247. [World War II]. (12+) Original sketches by Stalag Luft III (The Great Escape POW camp) prisoner of war Sgt. Bob Neary, 1 page (8.25 x 11.75 in.; 210 x 298 mm.), sketched in pencil on the verso of a printed order form in German headed “Chemische Werke Munchen.” An unknown hand has penned in ink the name of a German publication, “‘Die Südfront’ 22.12.1944” with the remnants of a removed article. Unsigned. Exhibits usual folds and light soiling.

A U.S. soldier sketches Hitler on a unicycle while imprisoned in the notorious Stalag Luft III POW camp made famous in the film The Great Escape.

While imprisoned in the notorious German POW camp Stalag Luft III, U.S. prisoner, Sgt. Bob Neary, sketches over a dozen original drawings in pencil, including a wobbly Hitler as “The Unicyclist” riding on a Swastika wheel, General Montgomery, cigar-smoking Winston Churchill, a bomb, and “No More Digging Then!” anticipating liberation instead of another attempted tunnel escape. Sgt. Robert P. (Bob) Neary was a gunner with the 450th Bomb Group, 720th Squadron, who was shot down, captured, and sent to the Stalag Luft III POW camp in April 1944. The camp was evacuated in January 1945 as Russian forces pushed into eastern Germany. Neary was moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser Stalag XIII-D, then to Moosburg’s Stalag VII-A on 13 April 1945, when he and the others were informed of the death the previous day of President Roosevelt. Sixteen days later, the camp was liberated by Gen. Patton’s Third Army. “I shall never forget the most beautiful sight I have ever seen,” wrote Sgt. Neary in his privately printed book of sketches, Stalag Luft III, “the Swastika coming down and the Stars and Stripes rising gloriously in Moosburg, not far from camp. Several hours later, General Patton came into camp to meet a thunderous ovation according him by the shrieking mob of deliriously happy and supremely grateful prisoners, who literally swarmed over every accessible spot to see their Liberator…”
$3,000 - $4,000