Here's a breakdown of the setting:
* Location: Stalag Luft III, a German prisoner of war camp located in Sagan, Silesia (now Żagań, Poland). The camp was designed to hold Allied airmen captured during the war.
* Time: 1943-1944. The escape itself occurred in March 1944.
* Conditions: The camp was heavily guarded, with high fences, barbed wire, and watchtowers. The prisoners were subject to harsh conditions, including limited food and poor sanitation.
The setting is crucial to the story, as it highlights the incredible courage and ingenuity of the prisoners who devised and carried out the escape. The physical challenges posed by the camp, combined with the ever-present threat of capture and retaliation, add to the suspense and drama of the narrative.