European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Therefore, I was an antifascist since I was a kid,
Therefore, I was an antifascist since I was a kid,
Wenn man so will, bin auch ich also von klein auf Antifaschist. -
and I remember neatly the day when, in 1923 – I think I was five then –
and I remember neatly the day when, in 1923 –
I think I was five then –Ich erinnere mich sehr genau an einen Tag im Jahr 1923 –
ich muss fünf gewesen sein – -
the consumer cooperative of Gavasseto was burned down.
the consumer cooperative of Gavasseto was burned down.
als die Konsumgenossenschaft von Gavasseto niedergebrannt wurde. -
My mother and father had always been working to set up the cooperative.
My mother and father had always been working to set up the cooperative.
Meine Mutter und mein Vater arbeiteten schon immer am Aufbau der Konsumgenossenschaft. -
Then, that night, I remember that people came over to wake them up,
Then, that night, I remember that people came over to wake them up,
Ich erinnere mich, dass in der Nacht Leute kamen, um sie aufzuwecken. -
shouting that “the coop was on fire”: that’s a moment I will never forget.
shouting that “the coop was on fire”: that’s a moment I will never forget.
Sie schrien „Die Genossenschaft steht in Flammen“. Das werde ich nie vergessen. -
From that day, I’ve never been a member of the Fascist Party.
From that day, I’ve never been a member of the Fascist Party.
Ich bin daher nie Mitglied der faschistischen Partei geworden. -
There were also other reasons which kept me from taking up membership,-.
There were also other reasons which kept me from taking up membership,-.
Es gab auch andere Gründe, die mich davon abhielten Mitglied zu werden, -
such as the fact that the Fascist youth had to take part in military activities and all kinds of classes every Saturday,
such as the fact that the Fascist youth had to take part in military activities and all kinds of classes every Saturday,
z.B. mussten die faschistischen Jugendlichen jeden Samstag an militärischen Übungen und an allerlei Unterricht teilnehmen, -
an environment which I did not want to be involved in.
an environment which I did not want to be involved in.
ein Umfeld, mit dem ich nichts zu tun haben wollte. -
I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
Ich zog nach Villa Rivalta und mit nicht einmal 17 Jahren begann ich bei Officine Reggiane zu arbeiten. -
Even there, every day was a struggle.
Even there, every day was a struggle.
Sogar dort war jeder Tag ein Kampf, es war kein schönes Leben. -
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
Für alles musste man das Parteibuch der Faschisten vorzeigen. -
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
Für mich war das ein weiterer Grund, nicht mit den Faschisten einverstanden zu sein. -
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Bei allem was man tat, bei allem was man brauchte, -
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
sollte man das Parteibuch vorzeigen. -
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
Ich glaubte nicht daran und ich wollte das Parteibuch nicht. -
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
Ich musste mich so gut wie möglich behelfen, mit Methoden, die ich von meiner Familie gelernt hatte, -
my parents and my two older sisters.
my parents and my two older sisters.
von meinen Eltern und meinen beiden älteren Schwestern. -
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
In der Schule machten wir in den ersten drei Monaten Schreibübungen und lernten bis 50 zu zählen.