European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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The Allies were air-dropping explosives the whole time. Nobody knew how to use them.
The Allies were air-dropping explosives the whole time. Nobody knew how to use them.
Die Alliierten warfen ständig Sprengstoff ab und niemand wusste damit umzugehen, -
One day they also parachuted a saboteur to teach us.
One day they also parachuted a saboteur to teach us.
bis sie uns per Fallschirm einen Saboteur schickten, der uns dann ausgebildet hat, -
Our duty was to blow up bridges, railway tracks and the like.
Our duty was to blow up bridges, railway tracks and the like.
Brücken, Eisenbahngleise und so weiter, in die Luft zu sprengen. -
He taught us how to handle explosives,
He taught us how to handle explosives,
Er hat uns beigebracht, wie man Sprengstoff benutzt, -
how to make mines, how to blow up railway tracks, how to blow up a road, or a military column.
how to make mines, how to blow up railway tracks, how to blow up a road, or a military column.
wie man Minen baut, wie man die Eisenbahnlinien sprengt, wie man Straßen oder eine Militärkolonne in die Luft jagt – alle diese Sachen. -
After we practiced a bit I think we were much better than our instructor.
After we practiced a bit I think we were much better than our instructor.
Später dann, mit einiger Erfahrung, sind wir besser geworden als unser Ausbilder, -
They were trained recklessly;
They were trained recklessly;
weil der selbst auch nur husch-husch ausgebildet wurde, -
they were taught the most important things and then dropped in the partisan areas.
they were taught the most important things and then dropped in the partisan areas.
nur das Wichtigste lernte und dann über Partisanen-Gebiete abgeworfen wurde. -
We started from scratch but were also trying to improve our military expertise.
We started from scratch but were also trying to improve our military expertise.
Wir dagegen haben bei null angefangen und dann aber versucht, unsere militärischen Fähigkeiten zu verbessern. -
As an example, it took us one and a half hours to blow up a bridge on road 63,
As an example, it took us one and a half hours to blow up a bridge on road 63,
Es war zum Beispiel so, dass wir für die Sprengung einer Brücke an der Straße SS 63 eineinhalb Stunden benötigten, -
as it was made of stones.
as it was made of stones.
weil sie aus Felsgestein war. -
We changed our method and were able to do it in fifteen minutes.
We changed our method and were able to do it in fifteen minutes.
Wir haben unsere Methode geändert und es gelang uns, die Brücke in einer Viertelstunde zu sprengen. -
In July, when the great mop-up took place,
In July, when the great mop-up took place,
Als die große Durchkämmungsaktion im Juli stattfand, -
there were just two or three of us sappers.
there were just two or three of us sappers.
waren wir zwei oder drei Minenexperten, nicht mehr, -
We were scattered around because the battle started at four in the morning,
We were scattered around because the battle started at four in the morning,
aber wir waren verstreut, weil der Kampf um vier Uhr morgens begonnen hatte -
and by the evening the whole partisan area had been occupied by the Germans.
and by the evening the whole partisan area had been occupied by the Germans.
und am Abend praktisch das ganze Partisanengebiet von Deutschen besetzt war. -
We were in Carpineti and we reached Costabona.
We were in Carpineti and we reached Costabona.
Wir hielten uns in Carpineti auf und hatten Costabona erreicht, -
The whole village was on fire.
The whole village was on fire.
das ganze Dorf brannte. -
The Germans had set the village on fire as well as the crop and the wheat on the fields.
The Germans had set the village on fire as well as the crop and the wheat on the fields.
Die Deutschen hatten das ganze Dorf angezündet und auch die Weizenernte auf den Feldern. -
It was really a depressing view.
It was really a depressing view.
Das war ein wirklich trostloser Anblick.