European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

But it was still war and it was the last farmer before the border. There was bad fighting there.

Hiding with partisans in bunkers

At the end of January 1944

the aunt got us ready and dressed.

We asked: “Where are we going?”

The older ones already knew, but the little ones didn’t.

She said: “Well, we are going to church.”

So we asked: “At night? Why are we going to church at night?

Why is there a church service at night tonight?”

The aunt answered: “Well, because there is. Let’s go.”

We had put a lot of clothes on – whatever we owned and she took a blanket.

Everything seemed adventurous, but we were not frightened.

We were just glad to get out of this cellar.

Then we went, but not the way to where the church was,

but up the mountains, a totally different direction.

The oldest cousin was 14 years old and should carry a rifle, being really pleased about that.

By then we knew: now we are going into war.

There were men with us and because adults were with us, the fear went.

We walked very, very far.

There was a lot of snow.