European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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They thought I was coming from the mountains near Bologna.
They thought I was coming from the mountains near Bologna.
Sie dachten, ich komme aus den Bergen bei Bologna. -
Only after the war did they find out that I came from Reggio.
Only after the war did they find out that I came from Reggio.
Erst nach dem Krieg erfuhren sie, dass ich aus Reggio kam. -
Military actions
Military actions
Militärische Aktionen -
We had drawn together most of our forces in the lowlands around Reggio, around Limiti, Soliera, Carpi.
We had drawn together most of our forces in the lowlands around Reggio, around Limiti, Soliera, Carpi.
In der Po-Ebene zwischen Limidi, Soliera, Carpi hatten wir alle unsere Kräfte zusammengezogen, einen Großteil unserer Kräfte. -
All the houses were with us.
All the houses were with us.
Denn alle Häuser, alle Ortschaften waren auf unserer Seite. -
There was actually a time when that area was called “free zone”, because nobody could get in.
There was actually a time when that area was called “free zone”, because nobody could get in.
Es gab auch eine Zeit, da nannten wir das ein "befreites Gebiet". Das betrat sonst niemand. -
However
However
Allerdings hatten auch die Nazis -
the Nazi fascists had also been looking at that area, just like us.
the Nazi fascists had also been looking at that area, just like us.
und die Faschisten ein Auge auf das Gebiet geworfen, nicht nur wir. -
At a certain point they decided to do a mop-up to free the area.
At a certain point they decided to do a mop-up to free the area.
Irgendwann haben sie beschlossen eine Razzia zu machen, um das Gebiet zu befreien. -
They were going to do it with such forces, machine guns and heavy ammunition.
They were going to do it with such forces, machine guns and heavy ammunition.
Aber eine Razzia mit vielen Kräften, mit Maschinengewehren, mit schwerem Gerät und schweren Waffen, um das Gebiet einzunehmen. -
They would have more or less destroyed our whole organization.
They would have more or less destroyed our whole organization.
Dabei hätten sie wahrscheinlich unsere gesamte Organisation zerstört. -
We met at the headquarters and decided we had to leave.
We met at the headquarters and decided we had to leave.
Also haben wir uns im Hauptquartier getroffen und beschlossen zu verschwinden. -
As usual it was the dispatch-rider who had to face this battle,
As usual it was the dispatch-rider who had to face this battle,
Wie üblich musste eine Stafette los und sich um das Gefecht kümmern, denn das war ein richtig schweres Gefecht. -
in order to go and inform all our comrades, otherwise they would have been slaughtered.
in order to go and inform all our comrades, otherwise they would have been slaughtered.
Die Stafette musste unsere Leute warnen, damit sie vorbereitet waren. Sonst wären sie massakriert worden. -
If they couldn’t be ready in time, they could at least withdraw before they all got killed.
If they couldn’t be ready in time, they could at least withdraw before they all got killed.
Und wenn sie nicht gefechtsbereit waren, dann konnten sie sich zumindest rechtzeitig zurückziehen, bevor sie getötet wurden. -
At a certain point I declared I would go.
At a certain point I declared I would go.
Irgendwann hab ich gesagt: „Ich gehe”. -
I already knew the area. I had gone there often.
I already knew the area. I had gone there often.
Ich kannte das Gebiet schon gut, weil ich da oft gewesen war. -
We had many families of peasants there, wonderful families.
We had many families of peasants there, wonderful families.
Wir hatten dort viele Bauernfamilien, wunderbare Familien. -
I said: “I’m going, give me the gun and I’ll head over there”.
I said: “I’m going, give me the gun and I’ll head over there”.
Ich sage also: „Ich gehe. Gebt mir einen Revolver”. -
I was given the orders, essentially those that could be remembered and passed on and left.
I was given the orders, essentially those that could be remembered and passed on and left.
Die Befehle behielt man so gut es ging im Gedächtnis und holte sie zu gegebener Zeit hervor. Ich gehe los.