It sounds like an exciting chapter from an adventure novel, but on June 22, 1974, five men really escape from the Van Mesdag Clinic. After their group leader is called away, they smash a window, saw through the bars and, using sheets tied together, lower themselves onto a lower wall.
This way they reach the roofs of the staff housing on Hereweg and it is a breeze to leave the site.
The police deploy all available personnel. The officers are instructed to act as carefully as possible in any arrests, because the fugitives may be armed. Forty-five minutes after the outbreak, the police caught three of the five fugitives. Two are caught on the Helperwestsingel and a third is arrested on the Van Iddekingeweg. Partly thanks to residents of the staff housing, the police can act quickly. The footprints of the escapees point in the right direction.
It is not known what happened to the two other prisoners. Maybe they are still on the run?
The Groningen Archives select a photo from the press photo collection every week and write about the story behind it. Do you have any questions or remarks? Email to [email protected].