Kriegies: The Australian Airmen of Stalag Luft III
Ad Astra Press 2023 ISBN 9780645792515. Card covers trade paperback size, 238 pp, map, b&w photos.
Who could pronounce Kriegsgefangener? The German for prisoner of war was too much of a mouthful. More to the point, it reminded POWs of their status as unwilling non-combatants. They were ashamed of it. Instead, airman POWs dubbed themselves ‘kriegies’, based on the first syllable – war. It became a ‘fun’ word which emphasised that they were still men of war. It was one of the many ways in which they coped with captivity.
Kriegies: The Australian Airmen of Stalag Luft III explores how Australian POWs and their families responded to captivity. Drawing on letters, diaries, memoirs, interviews, and medical records, Kriegies describes – in their own words – how the airman POWs coped with the trials of incarceration: monotony, separation from loved ones, absence of sex, homosexuality, and threats to their mental health. Kriegies also delves into the reactions of those on the home front who provided love and support as they anxiously awaited their loved ones’ return. It features the events of the Great Escape – perhaps the most notorious mass escape from German captivity – the tragic fate of five young Australians, and the grief expressed by their comrades and families. Based on the author’s award-winning PhD thesis, Kriegies is an intimate portrayal of captivity. It reveals the human story of wartime imprisonment. It is an inspiring account of love, courage, and resilience.
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