European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I never managed to get that letter back. Wherever I was taken, the letter seemed to follow me.
I never managed to get that letter back. Wherever I was taken, the letter seemed to follow me.
Diesen Brief bekam ich nie zurück. Wo immer ich hingebracht wurde, der Brief schien mir zu folgen. -
You see, we all used to deny knowing someone, but I couldn’t, since the names were written on the letter.
You see, we all used to deny knowing someone, but I couldn’t, since the names were written on the letter.
Wir würden immer leugnen, jemanden gekannt zu haben. Ich konnte nicht, denn die Namen standen in diesem Brief geschrieben. -
Then, one morning, we left from the train station.
Then, one morning, we left from the train station.
Eines morgens fuhren wir vom Bahnhof ab. -
I had already been reduced to the ranks:
I had already been reduced to the ranks:
Ich wurde bereits degradiert: -
they had taken everything from me and that day I was slightly shabby and hadn’t shaved.
they had taken everything from me and that day I was slightly shabby and hadn’t shaved.
sie hatten mir alles weggenommen, an dem Tag war ich leicht heruntergekommen, unrasiert und etwas krank. -
As we set off, those who were on the railcar with us were curious.
As we set off, those who were on the railcar with us were curious.
Die anderen Leute auf der Reise waren neugierig. -
On other occasions, such as the day I was interned,
On other occasions, such as the day I was interned,
In anderen Fällen, z.B. als ich verhaftet wurde, waren wir 18 Mann. -
when there were eighteen of us, we had a whole railcar for ourselves, so there was no one else.
when there were eighteen of us, we had a whole railcar for ourselves, so there was no one else.
Wir hatten einen ganzen Wagon für uns und es gab keine anderen Leuten. -
This time, however, the railcar was full, so people began to ask me what I had done,
This time, however, the railcar was full, so people began to ask me what I had done,
Dieses Mal aber, begannen die Leute zu fragen, was ich getan hatte -
and I did what I could to have them do so.
and I did what I could to have them do so.
und ich ließ es zu. -
I became the star of the railcar, everybody handed me something,
I became the star of the railcar, everybody handed me something,
Ich wurde der Star des Wagons, alle gaben mir etwas. Zigaretten und so weiter. -
cigarettes and so on, and the Carabinieri didn’t know what to say.
cigarettes and so on, and the Carabinieri didn’t know what to say.
Die Carabinieri wussten nicht, was sie sagen sollten. -
Their problem was that they didn’t have a place to hide me in,
Their problem was that they didn’t have a place to hide me in,
Ihr Problem war, dass sie mich nicht verstecken konnten. -
so they couldn’t do anything if someone offered me a cigarette.
so they couldn’t do anything if someone offered me a cigarette.
Also konnten sie nichts tun, wenn mir jemand eine Zigarette anbot. -
Once we arrived in Florence, however, the Carabinieri decided to get off and change train.
Once we arrived in Florence, however, the Carabinieri decided to get off and change train.
In Florenz beschlossen die Carabinieri, in einen anderen Zug umzusteigen. -
Later I understood that they did this to prevent me from talking to the people that were on the first train.
Later I understood that they did this to prevent me from talking to the people that were on the first train.
Später verstand ich, dass sie das taten um mich daran zu hindern, mit den Leuten zu sprechen. -
The other one – from Bologna to Reggio Emilia – was a lot less crowded.
The other one – from Bologna to Reggio Emilia – was a lot less crowded.
Im Zug von Bologna nach Reggio Emilia waren viel weniger Leute. -
When we arrived in Reggio Emilia I was immediately taken to the Police Station.
When we arrived in Reggio Emilia I was immediately taken to the Police Station.
Als wir in Reggio Emilia ankamen, wurde ich direkt zur Polizeiwache gebracht. -
There, I was confronted with a lot of stories, and I still had to deal with the issue of the letter.
There, I was confronted with a lot of stories, and I still had to deal with the issue of the letter.
Ich wurde mit verschiedenen Geschichten konfrontiert und ich hatte immer noch das Problem mit diesem Brief. -
I would have never told anything to the authorities,
I would have never told anything to the authorities,
Ich hätte nie etwas preisgegeben