European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
Vor meinen Haus, gab es einen Platz den wir "Palast" nannten, -
where we used to put tables and chairs in the summer.
where we used to put tables and chairs in the summer.
wo wir im Sommer immer Tische und Stühle hinstellten. -
As I got there, a German unit with a machine gun told me to stop.
As I got there, a German unit with a machine gun told me to stop.
Als ich dort ankam, forderte mich ein Deutscher mit Maschinengewehr auf, stehenzubleiben. -
I replied: “It’s my house!”
I replied: “It’s my house!”
Ich antwortete: "Es ist mein Haus!" -
The soldier just told me: “Halt, raus!”.
The soldier just told me: “Halt, raus!”.
Der Soldat sagte nur zu mir: "Halt, raus!". -
I didn’t understand any German, but “raus” meant go away, leave.
I didn’t understand any German, but “raus” meant go away, leave.
Ich verstand kein Deutsch, aber "raus" bedeutete, geh weg, verschwinde. -
I told him: “That’s my house; I have to fix dinner for my brothers”.
I told him: “That’s my house; I have to fix dinner for my brothers”.
Ich sagte ihm: "Das ist mein Haus; ich muss das Abendbrot für meine Brüder zubereiten". -
Again, he replied: “Raus, schnell, schnell!” and pointed the gun at me.
Again, he replied: “Raus, schnell, schnell!” and pointed the gun at me.
Wieder antwortete er: "Raus, schnell, schnell!" und richtete die Waffe auf mich. -
I quietly went back with my bicycle and met Maria, who had the same thing happening to her.
I quietly went back with my bicycle and met Maria, who had the same thing happening to her.
Ich ging ruhig zurück zu meinen Fahrrad und traf Maria, der das gleiche geschehen war. -
It’s not the fear of the gun,
It’s not the fear of the gun,
Es ist nicht die Angst vor der Waffe, -
it’s realizing that you’re absolutely nothing to them.
it’s realizing that you’re absolutely nothing to them.
es ist die Erkenntnis, dass du nichts für sie bist. -
These men in uniform, who looked like cockroaches,
These men in uniform, who looked like cockroaches,
Diese Männer in Uniform, die wie Kakerlaken aussahen, -
who spoke a language you didn’t know because they weren’t even from your own country,
who spoke a language you didn’t know because they weren’t even from your own country,
die eine Sprache sprachen, die du nicht kanntest, weil sie nicht mal aus deinem Land kamen, -
not only could keep you from going inside your home, but also had the power to kill you.
not only could keep you from going inside your home, but also had the power to kill you.
konnten dich nicht nur davon abhalten, in dein Heim zu gehen, sondern hatten auch die Macht, dich zu töten. -
You were nothing to them; you were less than a bug.
You were nothing to them; you were less than a bug.
Du warst nichts für sie, du warst weniger als ein Insekt. -
It’s shocking.
It’s shocking.
Es ist schockierend. -
Maybe we weren’t prepared for this,
Maybe we weren’t prepared for this,
Vielleicht waren wir darauf nicht vorbereitet -
but it was the reaction of a young girl who by then had already suffered from bombings,
but it was the reaction of a young girl who by then had already suffered from bombings,
Wir waren junge Mädchen, die unter Bombardierungen gelitten hatten, -
from seeing soldiers being captured.
from seeing soldiers being captured.
darunter, zu sehen, wie Soldaten gefangen genommen wurden. -
The older men, who had fought in the First World War, were talking about concentration camps.
The older men, who had fought in the First World War, were talking about concentration camps.
Die älteren Männer, die im Ersten Weltkrieg gekämpft hatten, meinten, dass sie in Konzentrationslager gebracht werden.