Today I will tell you a story which is full of courage, humility and generosity, meanwhile, it is the theme of the new American documentary “Stalag Luft III：One Man’s Story”. The leading characters are the Charles B. Woehrle and luxury fake Patek Philippe wristwatch.
During World War II, Charles was a pilot of the B-17 bomber based in the Army Aviation Corps of England. When the US military bombed German facilities in France, his plane was shot down by the Germans. After being parachuted, he was captured near the railway and was randomly transferred to the Nazi’s largest concentration camp, Stalag Luft III. There, he experienced more than two years of miserable life, often being brutally beaten, and everyday he did the tedious and heavy manual labor. At that time, he would read the newspaper and repair the clothes when he was not busy.
One day, he read an advertisement on the paper which told that if you want to know more about Patek Philippe, then please mail the form below, we will send you a brochure. He did that and added a sentence: I’d like to buy a watch of yours if you allow me to pay for it after the war. Something unexpected happened. A few months later, a parcel from Patek Philippe was sent to the concentration camp. However, one day in 1980s, the precious timepiece was stolen. Patek Philippe knew that and given him a similar one again in 2011. The gold case knockoff watch embodies the generosity of the famous Swiss luxury watch brand.