European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We had water up to our shoulders,
We had water up to our shoulders,
Aber als wir drin waren, ging uns das Wasser bis zu den Schultern. -
I was holding my machine gun on one side and the rope on the other side.
I was holding my machine gun on one side and the rope on the other side.
Ich hatte das Maschinengewehr in einer Hand und das Seil in der anderen, -
"Mirko" and the big man, Giovannone, that was the name we were calling him,
"Mirko" and the big man, Giovannone, that was the name we were calling him,
"Mirko" und dieser Typ, wie hieß er noch, Giovannone, gingen voran: -
went first and then told us to do the same.
went first and then told us to do the same.
"Beeilt euch, Jungs!" -
I was one of the first ones to cross the river and all of a sudden the fog lifted.
I was one of the first ones to cross the river and all of a sudden the fog lifted.
Ich bin einer der ersten, wir laufen los: und plötzlich verschwindet der Nebel, -
It seemed to be done on purpose:
It seemed to be done on purpose:
als wär das extra organisiert gewesen, -
all of a sudden you could see the street all the way up to Vetto.
all of a sudden you could see the street all the way up to Vetto.
diese Nebelwolke über der Straße verschwand und man konnte die ganze Straße einsehen, die nach Vetto hinaufführt. -
There were some Germans and when they saw us they started to shoot at us,
There were some Germans and when they saw us they started to shoot at us,
Da waren deutsche Patrouillen und sobald sie sahen, dass wir den Fluss durchquerten, eröffneten sie das Feuer. -
we could hear the bullets whistle into the water, it was terrible.
we could hear the bullets whistle into the water, it was terrible.
Man hörte die Kugeln durchs Wasser pfeifen, unvorstellbar... -
On the other shore there were the partisans from Parma
On the other shore there were the partisans from Parma
Wir kamen über die Flussmitte, da fingen parmenser Partisanen vom Wachposten am anderen Ufer -
and when they heard the Germans starting to shoot at us, they started to shoot at us, too.
and when they heard the Germans starting to shoot at us, they started to shoot at us, too.
auch an, auf uns zu schießen. Schießen die Deutschen, also schießen die auch, solche Esel! -
We shouted at them not to shoot, that we were partisans just like them.
We shouted at them not to shoot, that we were partisans just like them.
Wir riefen "Jungs, stopp! Stopp! Wir sind es, wir sind Partisanen" -
These donkies!
These donkies!
und als wir ans Ufer kamen... -
A few days ago I told them again, as we remembered those events,
A few days ago I told them again, as we remembered those events,
Neulich hab ich das wieder erzählt, bei der Gedenkveranstaltung, -
because they killed four partisans.
because they killed four partisans.
denn vier Partisanen sind da getötet worden. -
The partisans kept going despite the shooting because there was no other way:
The partisans kept going despite the shooting because there was no other way:
Wir gingen trotzdem weiter, obwohl die anderen Partisanen schossen, denn es gab keinen anderen Ausweg: -
being shot by the Germans or drown in the water.
being shot by the Germans or drown in the water.
entweder von den Deutschen getötet werden oder im Wasser ertrinken. -
So we passed and as we reached the other shore
So we passed and as we reached the other shore
Wir haben es jedenfalls auf die andere Seite geschafft: -
I talked to the commander of these partisans and told him they were donkies
I talked to the commander of these partisans and told him they were donkies
als der Anführer des Postens kam, habe ich ihn einen Esel genannt -
but he said he'd mistaken us for Germans.
but he said he'd mistaken us for Germans.
und er sagte: "Ich habe euch für Deutsche gehalten".