Escape from Sobibor

Escape from Sobibor

Year: 1987

Runtime: 169 mins

Language: English

Director: Jack Gold

WarThrillerTV MovieDramaWar and historical adventure

The true story of WWII’s notorious Sobibor Nazi death camp, where a courageous inmate orchestrates and leads the escape of over 300 prisoners.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Escape from Sobibor (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Escape from Sobibor (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1943

The events unfold during World War II, with Sobibor operating as a Nazi death camp in occupied Poland. On 14 October 1943, prisoners carried out a coordinated revolt to overpower their guards and escape. Though many were killed in the breakout, about 300 reached the forest and roughly 50 survived the war ending in 1945.

Location

Sobibor extermination camp, Sobibór, Poland

Sobibor was a Nazi extermination camp in occupied Poland where Jews were murdered in gas chambers and their belongings looted for the benefit of the SS. A separate area housed prisoners kept for forced labor, who endured brutal conditions while factories and ovens processed victims. After the uprising, Sobibor was bulldozed and trees were planted to erase its existence.

🔎 Holocaust site 🔥 Death camp 🗺️ Poland

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:47

Main Characters – Escape from Sobibor (1987)

Meet the key characters of Escape from Sobibor (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Leon Feldhendler (Alan Arkin)

Leader of the prisoner group, Feldhendler is pragmatic and calculating, early in recognizing the camp’s imminent danger. He drives the escape plan, balancing risk with a belief that collective action can overthrow the guards. His resolve and collaboration with Sasha Pechersky anchor the revolt and its tempo.

🎯 Leader 🧭 Strategist 🧍 Prisoner

Alexander 'Sasha' Pechersky (Rutger Hauer)

A decisive organizer among the Soviet Jewish inmates, Pechersky brings military acumen and discipline to the revolt. He arms the group with tactical insight, coordinating assaults and escape routes. His leadership helps unite diverse prisoner factions toward a common goal.

🧭 Commander 🎖️ Rebel 🧪 Tactician

Gustav Wagner (Hartmut Becker)

The camp's most clever and sadistic officer, Wagner embodies the brutal efficiency of the murder machine. His threats and capricious violence heighten danger for prisoners and test their will to resist. His absence during part of the plan provides a brief strategic window for the rebellion.

🗡️ Brutality 🎖️ Authority 🧬 Tyranny

Karl Frenzel (Kurt Raab)

An officer who becomes aware of the brewing revolt and inadvertently triggers alarm when he discovers a crime scene. His actions heighten the stakes for the prisoners as they execute their daring plan. Frenzel's role marks a turning point that intensifies the escape sequence.

⚠️ Authority 🧭 Risk 🧩 Catalyst

Itzhak Lichtman (Jack Shepherd)

A prisoner whose presence and participation reflect the diverse internal dynamics of Sobibor’s inmate population. Lichtman contributes to the collective effort, sharing in the risks and decisions of the revolt. His involvement illustrates the cross-group cooperation in the uprising.

🧭 Worker 🧬 Survivor

Chaim Engel (Robert Gwilym)

A survivor whose experience represents the broader human dimension of the escape. Engel’s perspective during the uprising underscores the personal costs and the enduring will to live beyond the camp’s confines. He embodies resilience amid extreme danger.

🧭 Survivor 📝 Witness

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:47

Major Themes – Escape from Sobibor (1987)

Explore the central themes of Escape from Sobibor (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗡️ Resistance

Prisoners organize a bold plan to topple their captors and reclaim freedom. The revolt relies on deception, luring guards into traps and executing a calculated, covert assault. Unity among prisoner groups, including Red Army prisoners, is crucial to the plan's success. It remains one of the largest escapes from a Nazi prison camp in Europe during WWII.

🕯️ Survival

Conditions in Sobibor were brutal, with routine executions and brutal beatings used to suppress dissent. A small group maintained a fragile existence through forced labor, scavenging moments to support the escape plan. The narrative highlights resilience and the humanity that endured amid dehumanizing cruelty.

🎗️ Memory

Howard K. Smith's narration ties the film to survivor accounts and historical records, grounding the story in real testimony. The film emphasizes remembering the victims and the survivors whose lives intersected with the uprising. It underscores the lasting warning of totalitarian violence and the cost of forgetting.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:47

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Escape from Sobibor Summary

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Escape from Sobibor Summary

Escape from Sobibor Timeline

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Escape from Sobibor Timeline

More About Escape from Sobibor

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