European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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A few days later, in Benghazi, a quarter of the biggest ammunition depot the Rommel-army kept in Africa was blown up.
A few days later, in Benghazi, a quarter of the biggest ammunition depot the Rommel-army kept in Africa was blown up.
Ein paar Tage später flog dann in Bengasi, vom größten Munitionslager, dass die Rommel-Armee in Afrika unterhält, flog ein Viertel in die Luft. -
With this a difficult problem emerged:
With this a difficult problem emerged:
Da tauchte dann für uns ein schwieriges Problem auf. -
Six Arabs and one German soldier were shot dead,
Six Arabs and one German soldier were shot dead,
Da wurden dann also sechs Araber und ein deutscher Soldat erschossen, -
who had not participated at all and now the question came up:
who had not participated at all and now the question came up:
die überhaupt nicht daran beteiligt waren und da stellte sich für uns die Frage: -
“It is your fault that innocent people got shot by the ‘Wehrmacht’!”
“It is your fault that innocent people got shot by the ‘Wehrmacht’!”
"Du bist daran schuld, dass Unschuldige von der Wehrmacht erschossen wurden!" -
It had to be weighed up: Which side has to take the higher blame?
It had to be weighed up: Which side has to take the higher blame?
Da war natürlich abzuwägen, wo ist die Schuld größer? -
If you don’t do anything against this criminal regime,
If you don’t do anything against this criminal regime,
Wenn du nichts gegen dieses Verbrecherregime unternimmst, -
if you join in silently, how much are you then to blame?
if you join in silently, how much are you then to blame?
wenn du schweigend alles mit machst, welche Schuld lädst du dann auf dich? -
War costs so many deaths - don’t you have to consider
War costs so many deaths - don’t you have to consider
Wenn die vielen Toten die der Krieg kostet oder musst du nicht auf dein Gewissen nehmen, -
that even innocent people loose their life in the fight against fascism?
that even innocent people loose their life in the fight against fascism?
dass im Kampf gegen den Faschismus auch Unschuldige ihr Leben verlieren? -
That is already a difficult question in civil life, it was the same under war conditions.
That is already a difficult question in civil life, it was the same under war conditions.
Das ist im zivilen Leben schon eine Frage, unter Kriegsbedingungen war das ebenso, -
We said the fight against the fascist regime had to come before anything else;
We said the fight against the fascist regime had to come before anything else;
dass wir sagten der Kampf gegen das faschistische Regime geht allen anderen Dingen vor. -
a very difficult ethic decision.
a very difficult ethic decision.
Eine höchst schwierige ethische Entscheidung. -
Well, the question of desertion was obviously discussed between all the people who were active as anti-fascists.
Well, the question of desertion was obviously discussed between all the people who were active as anti-fascists.
Also, die Frage der Desertation wurde natürlich diskutiert, unter allen Leuten die als Antifaschisten tätig waren. -
Only in Africa there was no front which’s lines could have been passed.
Only in Africa there was no front which’s lines could have been passed.
Nur in Afrika gab es keine Front, die man wechseln konnte. -
In Africa warfare was mobile.
In Africa warfare was mobile.
In Afrika war Bewegungskrieg. -
You could only change fronts if a unit was enclosed by the English.
You could only change fronts if a unit was enclosed by the English.
Da konnte man die Fronten nur wechseln, wenn bei einer Einheit die von den Tommies, von den Engländer eingeschlossen wurde. -
Then it was possible to say: “I would like to run over”. Or to say: “I’ll run away”, then you avoided captivity.
Then it was possible to say: “I would like to run over”. Or to say: “I’ll run away”, then you avoided captivity.
Da war es möglich zu sagen, ich möchte übergehen usw., ich sage, seile mich ab dann war man die Gefangenschaft los, das ging also auch. -
When I came to Poland and Russia, that did not work because,
When I came to Poland and Russia, that did not work because,
Als ich dann nach Polen und nach Russland kam ging das nicht, -
as a radio operator, you were too far away from the front.
as a radio operator, you were too far away from the front.
denn als Funker war man viel zu weit weg von der Front.