European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We organized ourselves, trying to find places where we could secretly meet,
We organized ourselves, trying to find places where we could secretly meet,
Wir organisierten uns, um Orte zu finden, wo wir uns ungesehen treffen konnten, -
where two or three of us could meet, maybe four, never more than four.
where two or three of us could meet, maybe four, never more than four.
wo sich zwei oder drei von uns treffen konnten, aber nie mehr als drei oder vier. -
We would meet in a basement or at friends’ not known for their political activities, but willing to help.
We would meet in a basement or at friends’ not known for their political activities, but willing to help.
Wir trafen uns in einem Keller oder bei Freunden, die nicht für ihr politisches Engagement bekannt waren, aber bereit waren, uns zu helfen. -
They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
Sie ließen uns hinein und wir kamen zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten an. -
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
Aber dann mussten wir auch die Materialien verstecken, den Mimeograf, die Schreibmaschine etc. -
We had to be careful with all of that.
We had to be careful with all of that.
Wir mussten dabei sehr aufpassen. -
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
Es stellte sich große Vorsicht ein, denn es gab viele Zeitungsartikel in der Gegend um Rouen, -
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
die über die Zahl der Verhaftungen von politischen Aktivisten berichteten. Es war also sehr schwierig. Man musste sehr vorsichtig sein. -
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
Wir hatten ein gewisses Maß an Unterstützung seitens der Bevölkerung. -
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
Manche Leute sagten „Sie hätten das nicht tun sollen“, nachdem jemand festgenommen wurde. -
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
Aber es gab auch Leute, die uns unterstützten, manche nur sehr im Hintergrund, weil sie Angst hatten. -
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
Wenn die Polizei von der Verbindung zwischen einer Person und einem bekannten politischen Aktivisten erfuhr, konnte man verhaftet werden. -
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
Es war also sowohl für uns als auch für die Personen, die die Materialien aufbewahrten, gefährlich, falls sie von der Polizei erfasst wurden. Es war sehr schwierig. -
First political engagements
First political engagements
Erste politische Aktivitäten -
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
1934/1935 fing ich an in einer Fabrik zu arbeiten. Dann kamen die großen Tage von 1936. -
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
Da schloss ich mich der Arbeiterbewegung an. Ich war Teil der großen Streiks von 1936. Ich war 16 und arbeitete in einer Fabrik. -
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
1937/1938 schloss ich mich der Jeneusse Communiste (kommunistischen Jugendorganisation) an. -
There you could fight for your demands.
There you could fight for your demands.
Dort konnte man für seine Forderungen kämpfen. -
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
Meine Freunde damals fragten mich: „Warum schließt du dich nicht der Jeneusse Communiste an?“ Also tat ich es. -
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
1936 nahmen wir an gewerkschaftlichen Aktivitäten und Demonstrationen teil. Und so wurde ich ein Teil der Jeneusse Communiste.