European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I was luckier than others, since I was given an English machine gun, a Sten gun, which was quite short.
I was luckier than others, since I was given an English machine gun, a Sten gun, which was quite short.
Ich hatte mehr Glück als andere, denn ich bekam eine englische Maschinenpistole, eine Sten. Eine recht kurze Waffe. -
You could disassemble it in three pieces and hide it, and put it together quickly.
You could disassemble it in three pieces and hide it, and put it together quickly.
Aber funktionstüchtig. Man konnte sie in drei Teile zerlegen, verstecken und schnell wieder zusammensetzen. -
And I also had a 9 mm Beretta and four hand grenades.
And I also had a 9 mm Beretta and four hand grenades.
Ich bekam auch eine 9 mm Beretta-Pistole. Und vier Handgranaten. -
I stayed there with the First Battalion
I stayed there with the First Battalion
Ich war dann beim Ersten Bataillon, -
and we used to go on road 63, where German garrisons were all over the place.
and we used to go on road 63, where German garrisons were all over the place.
wir gingen oft an die Staatsstraße 63, wo sich die ganzen deutschen Stützpunkte befanden. -
Not long after, around July, there was a great mop-up.
Not long after, around July, there was a great mop-up.
Kurze Zeit später, im Juli, gibt es eine große Durchkämmungsaktion (Razzia). -
The Goering attacked, we fought back for a day and a half, two days.
The Goering attacked, we fought back for a day and a half, two days.
Die (Division)-Goering griff an. Anderthalb oder zwei Tage lang wurde dagegen gehalten. -
Then there was a disbandment,
Then there was a disbandment,
Dann lösten wir unsere Verbände auf, -
because it’s really hard to resist against an attack
because it’s really hard to resist against an attack
denn beim Angriff einer deutschen Division mit Panzerfahrzeugen, Artillerie, -
from a German division with armoured vehicles, artillery, small airplanes, special forces.
from a German division with armoured vehicles, artillery, small airplanes, special forces.
Kleinflugzeugen und Spezialeinheiten Widerstand zu leisten, das ist schwierig. -
Maybe it wasn’t even right to fight back as we did,
Maybe it wasn’t even right to fight back as we did,
Vielleicht war es gar nicht richtig derartigen Widerstand zu leisten, -
since guerrilla means attacking and withdrawing, coming back and so on.
since guerrilla means attacking and withdrawing, coming back and so on.
denn Guerilla bedeutete angreifen, zurückziehen, angreifen und zurückziehen und wiederkommen. -
That time however it was decided to fight back jointly. We suffered many casualties in the end.
That time however it was decided to fight back jointly. We suffered many casualties in the end.
In jener Situtation aber wollte man eine Front bilden ... das ist uns teuer zu stehen gekommen, es gab viele Tote und Vermisste. -
Then the Germans took away more than a thousand men:
Then the Germans took away more than a thousand men:
Dann verschleppten die Deutschen noch über eintausend Männer: -
all those who were able to work, and I think also a few women, were sent to Germany.
all those who were able to work, and I think also a few women, were sent to Germany.
sie brachten alle Gefangenen, die arbeitsfähig waren, nach Deutschland. Ich glaube nur zwei Frauen haben sie weggeschafft, aber tausend Männer. -
That time there was a complete disbandment.
That time there was a complete disbandment.
Darum also die Auflösung, eine Komplettauflösung. -
After that, the Germans left,
After that, the Germans left,
Danach zogen die Deutschen ab, die Division -
their division withdrew, but the garrisons on road 63 remained until the end of the war.
their division withdrew, but the garrisons on road 63 remained until the end of the war.
zog sich zurück, aber die Stützpunkte entlang der Staatsstraße 63 blieben bis zum Kriegsende da. -
We slowly recovered, difficultly,
We slowly recovered, difficultly,
Allmählich schlossen sich unsere Reihen wieder, jedoch mühsam. -
and I remember I stayed home around ten days because of this, helping my father,
and I remember I stayed home around ten days because of this, helping my father,
Ich erinnere mich, dass ich zehn Tage zu Hause war und meinem Vater sogar bei der Getreideaussaat geholfen habe.