About the stay, persistence and survival of Polish officers in
German captivity in oflags during World War II, different authors
have written "variously. [...]
The matter of survival of German wartime captivity was neither easy ,
nor simple. Periods of starvation, oppression, pressure and terror in complete isolation
may have led to the mental and spiritual depression that was so
dangerous within the confines of confined camp barbed wire.
A firm and resolute self-defense was in force against such a condition.
Therefore - in addition to the usual sources of information - prisoners of war readily
drew news from such sources as: "a certain lady told a certain
lady" or - excuse the inelegant expression - from schelesparole.
Of course - in such situations - there was a well-defined and established
established rule for the use of these pseudo-information. If they fulfilled the
the role of "elevators" on the spirit, they were believed unabashedly, even if they were a
a faithful lie, an obvious untruth or trivial nonsense.
Conversely. If the information contained negative and depressing content,
although obvious and true, they were readily "sifted" through the nets of
of doubt and disbelief in their authenticity. Woe to him who such
art has not mastered....