European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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And as I had very little ideas about what I wanted to do I became an apprentice butcher.
And as I had very little ideas about what I wanted to do I became an apprentice butcher.
Und weil ich keine große Vorstellung davon hatte, was ich machen wollte, fing ich eine Metzgerlehre an. -
I worked there for three and a half years. I started to learn about the work. But in the end I never became a butcher.
I worked there for three and a half years. I started to learn about the work. But in the end I never became a butcher.
Ich habe dort dreieinhalb Jahre gearbeitet. Ich lernte etwas über die Arbeit. Aber am Ende wurde ich doch kein Metzger. -
Then I started working in construction, in civil projects, doing repair work on ships.
Then I started working in construction, in civil projects, doing repair work on ships.
Dann fing ich an im Hoch- und Tiefbau zu arbeiten, machte Reparaturen auf Schiffen und so weiter. -
I did all sorts of different things, always manual work though.
I did all sorts of different things, always manual work though.
Ich machte viele verschiedene Arbeiten, immer handwerkliche Arbeiten. -
I was 16 years old in 1936 and I worked in factories.
I was 16 years old in 1936 and I worked in factories.
1936 war ich 16 Jahre alt und ich fing an in Fabriken zu arbeiten. -
I had simply become a worker and got to know the whole period of 1936, the strikes and all that it represented.
I had simply become a worker and got to know the whole period of 1936, the strikes and all that it represented.
Ich war einfach ein Handwerker geworden und ich durchlebte den ganzen Zeitraum 1936, die Streiks 1936 und alles, was das bedeutete … -
The strikes of 1936 were the beginning of it all.
The strikes of 1936 were the beginning of it all.
Mit den Streiks 1936 fing alles an. -
There was a labour movement that manifested itself. I was already part of the working class.
There was a labour movement that manifested itself. I was already part of the working class.
Daraufhin bildete sich die Arbeiterbeweung heraus. Zu dieser Zeit war ich bereits Teil des Arbeitermilieus. -
In these conditions the 1936 movement manifested itself a little bit everywhere and there were big demonstrations.
In these conditions the 1936 movement manifested itself a little bit everywhere and there were big demonstrations.
Unter diesen Umständen wurde die Bewegung von 1936 überall ein wenig stärker und es gab diese große Demonstration von 1936. -
It meant very much to the working class movement in France. It was important.
It meant very much to the working class movement in France. It was important.
Und was das alles für die Arbeiterbewegung in Frankreich bedeutete, war sehr wichtig. Das ist gewiss. -
Reasons for resistance
Reasons for resistance
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I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
Da hätte ich meiner Gesinnung untreu werden müssen, wenn ich nicht in den Widerstand gegangen wäre. -
My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
Mein Großvater war eingesperrt im KUK Kaiserreich, -
Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
Kaiser Königliche Monarchie der Habsburger, weil er für den Sozialismus gekämpft hat. -
My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
Mein Vater war eingesperrt, weil er für den Sozialismus gekämpft hat. -
It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
Das ich in der Spur weiterarbeite, also nicht nur passiv es über mich ergehen lasse, -
therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
sondern dagegen tätig bin, war klar. -
I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
Ich war ja nicht allein und wir hatten ja gelernt wenn der Gegner angreift, dann weicht man nicht einfach zurück, sondern überlegt man sich wo kannst du einen Gegenangriff starten. -
If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”
If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”
Wenn man dann davon überzeugt ist, man wird gebraucht für die Zeit nach Hitler, das war ja damals ein wichtiger Satz: "…für die Zeit nach Hitler." -
So you would work illegally but do not take unnecessary risks.
So you would work illegally but do not take unnecessary risks.
Also seid illegal tätig, aber geht nicht unnötige Risiken ein.