 Maus was taken prisoner following the sinking of and in 1944 participated in an escape attempt from the prisoner-of-war camp Papago Park in the United States.August Maus joined the German Navy (Reichsmarine, after 1 June 1935 Kriegsmarine) on 8 April 1934 at the age of 19 as officer aspirant and was sent to Stralsund to do his basic training.Then he was assigned to the training ship .