Baja Europe is the youngest race on the RBI Sport calendar, set to kick off its third edition (second as a permanent fixture; it was held in 2019 followed by a five-year absence) on Thursday. Many treat the three-day event as a dress rehearsal for Rallye Breslau due to the shorter format while going through much of the same course as the longer rally.

Both are held in the Polish town of Żagań, particularly at the military training area used by the 11th Armored Cavalry Division and NATO allies. “Lubuska” is the Polish Land Forces’ main armored warfare unit, founded in 1949 as the 11th Motorized Infantry Division. Although its lineage is traced back to the 11th Infantry Division, it carries on the legacy of the 1st Armored Division that fought in World War II and uses the 1st’s emblem of a black winged hussar helmet.

Formed in 1942 by survivors of the Nazi invasion, the 1st Armored Division fought in Normandy and supported the Allied advance through Western Europe into Germany. Its insignia was created by Lieutenant Adam Bunsch in 1942 as a nod to medieval Polish heavy cavalry. The 1st was shut down following Soviet occupation, though the badge was adopted by the 11th. While the 11th introduced a new logo with a gold-colored helmet in 2020, the old one remains in use today on uniforms.

Żagań is famous for being the site of the German prison camp Stalag Luft III for Allied airmen. Their attempted prison break in 1944 is considered the most famous by POWs, enshrined in Western popular memory thanks to the acclaimed 1963 film The Great Escape. RBI officials often visit the camp, which is now the Muzeum Obozów Jenieckich, while the nearby Stalag VIII-C for all Allied prisoners was a Breslau bivouac in 2022. During the 2023 Rallye Breslau, RBI helped partially restore the reconstructed Harry tunnel used in the 1944 breakout.

The movie’s title is also one of the slogans used to promote Breslau and Baja Europe.

“In Żagań, freedom has a special meaning,” the introductory slide to the Baja Europe race presentation proclaims. “This land tells stories of courage—of people who never gave up, who escaped through darkness to reach the light. It is the home of The Great Escape, one of the most iconic tales of determination in European history.”

The supplementary regulations likewise note, “The Great Escape takes place in a military area. Deviations from the road book may lead to the closed areas that are actively used. Each participant is responsible for staying on the route and avoiding shortcuts.”

With two races on active bases (Breslau also goes to Drawsko Pomorskie), RBI Sport naturally maintains a close relationship with the Polish military to ensure the rallies don’t clash with ongoing army activity. RBI also tends to give props to the troops in the area for their support.

“During Baja Europe, this heritage becomes part of the rally’s atmosphere—a backdrop of honor and tradition supporting the spirit of freedom that defines the event,” states the race presentation. “The Black Division stands as a powerful symbol of the region: strong, proud, and deeply connected to the land on which our rally unfolds. Their support enriches Baja Europe with authenticity, cultural depth and a sense of place that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

“We are honored to collaborate with the Polish Armed Forces, whose many years of support and commitment continue to shape the spirit and success of this event.”

Baja Europe runs from Thursday through Saturday, May 14–16.

Featured image credit: RBI Media