Eighty years ago, on February 2, 1945, nearly 500 Soviet prisoners staged a daring escape from the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria.

These prisoners, labeled as "K-Häftlinge" and destined for execution under the Nazis' "Aktion Kugel," faced inhumane conditions in Block 20, where starvation and disease were rampant.

Armed with stones and fire extinguishers, they disabled the camp's electric fence and fled.

Tragically, most were hunted down in what the Nazis called the "Mühlviertel Hare Hunt," with only a few surviving.

Among the survivors were those hidden by brave locals like Anna Hackl, who risked their lives to protect them.

This harrowing event is now remembered through films and commemorations, ensuring the courage and suffering of those involved are never forgotten.