European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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There we had to guard the gates.
There we had to guard the gates.
Da hatten wir Torwache. -
The ones who had been moved for disciplinary reasons were graded for that, and so we were there, as well.
The ones who had been moved for disciplinary reasons were graded for that, and so we were there, as well.
Da wurden Strafversetzte dazu eingeteilt, da waren wir auch mit bei. -
In Kairouan the front came to a deadlock.
In Kairouan the front came to a deadlock.
Und in Kairouan, da ist die Front zum Stillstand gekommen. -
We thought: ‘Well, if the Americans come further, we will hand over the barracks.
We thought: ‘Well, if the Americans come further, we will hand over the barracks.
Und wir dachten: ‚Na ja, wenn die Amerikaner jetzt weiter kommen, dann übergeben wir denen die Kaserne. -
We will be able to prevent an opposition somehow.’
We will be able to prevent an opposition somehow.’
Einen Widerstand werden wir dann schon verhindern können.’ -
But it came to nothing.
But it came to nothing.
Aber daraus ist nichts geworden. -
Afterwards we were appointed in the mountains.
Afterwards we were appointed in the mountains.
Wir sind dann nachher eingesetzt worden, in den Bergen. -
Grenade launchers lie in ambush.
Grenade launchers lie in ambush.
Granatwerfer, die schießen ja aus dem Hinterhalt. -
And we were positioned on a plateau, where the Americans could see and directly shoot us.
And we were positioned on a plateau, where the Americans could see and directly shoot us.
Und wir wurden eingesetzt auf ’nem Plateau, wo der Amerikaner mit direktem Beschuss uns sehen konnte. -
We were on a downright kamikaze mission.
We were on a downright kamikaze mission.
Also, ein regelrechtes Himmelfahrtskommando waren wir. -
If we had shot, we would have been bombarded – we wouldn’t have survived.
If we had shot, we would have been bombarded – we wouldn’t have survived.
Hätten wir da geschossen, wären wir auch gleich da eben so bombardiert worden – hätten nicht überlebt. -
So we placed the grenade launcher there, moved along for another 20m and then one said:
So we placed the grenade launcher there, moved along for another 20m and then one said:
Und wir haben dann unseren Granatwerfer dort hingestellt und dann so 20 m weiter, oder ich weiß nicht mehr wie viel, sagt er: -
“We will build something, so we can protect ourselves from the direct bombardment a little bit.”
“We will build something, so we can protect ourselves from the direct bombardment a little bit.”
„Hier bauen wir uns jetzt das so, dass wir uns vor direktem Beschuss so etwas schützen können.“ -
We fired one shot and, in return, our grenade launcher was totally destroyed.
We fired one shot and, in return, our grenade launcher was totally destroyed.
Und wir haben einen Schuss abgegeben und unseren Granatwerfer, den haben sie völlig zerschossen. -
It was a kamikaze mission. They wanted to exterminate us.
It was a kamikaze mission. They wanted to exterminate us.
Also, das war Himmelfahrtskommando. Man wollte uns vernichten. -
Later on we went back and then I spoke to some of the others:
Later on we went back and then I spoke to some of the others:
Na ja, wir sind dann nachher zurückgezogen. Und da hatte ich dann mit einigen anderen gesprochen: -
“We have to run away now.”
“We have to run away now.”
„Wir müssen uns jetzt absetzen.“ -
It was the end of April, and on the 10th May, or so, they surrendered. There were some doubts:
It was the end of April, and on the 10th May, or so, they surrendered. There were some doubts:
Aber - also man muß auch die Zeit sehen - das war Ende April. Und am 10. Mai, oder so was, kapitulierten die auch. Da waren dann noch Bedenken: -
“They will inform Germany - He deserted.”
“They will inform Germany - He deserted.”
„Dann informieren sie die ja nach Deutschland: Der ist desertiert.“ -
I said: “that is all nonsense. They won’t have any time left to do that.”
I said: “that is all nonsense. They won’t have any time left to do that.”
Ich sagte: „Das ist doch alles Quatsch. Da haben die doch gar keine Zeit mehr für.“