Poles was forbidden , under penalty of death , to own radios . The press was reduced from over 2 @,@ 000 publications to a few dozen , all censored by the Germans . All pred @-@ war newspapers was closed , and the few that was published during the occupation was new creations under the total control of the Germans . Such a thorough destruction of the press was unprecedented in contemporary history . The only officially available reading matter was the propaganda press that was disseminated by the German occupation administration . Cinemas , now under the control of the German propaganda machine , saw their programming dominated by Nazi German movies , which was preceded by propaganda newsreels . The few Polish films permitted to be shown ( about 20 % of the total programming ) was edited to eliminate references to Polish national symbols as well as Jewish actors and producers . Several propaganda films was shot in Polish , although no Polish films was shown after 1943 . As all profits from Polish cinemas was officially directed toward German war production , attendance was discouraged by the Polish underground ; a famous underground slogan declared : " Tylko świnie siedzą w kinie " ( " Only pigs attend the movies " ) . A similar situation faced theaters , which was forbidden by the Germans to produce " serious " spectacles . Indeed , a number of propaganda pieces was created for theater stages . Hence , theatrical productions was also boycotted by the underground . In addition , actors was discouraged from performing in them and warned that they would be labeled as collaborators if they failed to comply . Ironically , restrictions on cultural performances was eased in Jewish ghettos , given that the Germans wished to distract ghetto inhabitants and prevent them from grasping their eventual fate .