Chapters XVII through XXVIII Summary and Analysis

Olga says that nothing is more heartwarming than to see prisoners relentlessly trying to clean themselves and their surroundings. Lice and other vermin are a constant problem and one woman goes to the extreme of removing clothing so that the lice have no where to hide and breed. One day a young girl refuses to carry a placard as part of a punishment and enrages the guards so that they beat her, but she calls for the others to exhibit courage as well. Some try to escape and Olga says she and others hope someone can so that they can tell the world about the camps. As the Allied troops advance, other camps are dismantled and abandoned, usually with the soldiers killing as many of the prisoners as possible. The farce that serves to keep...