European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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It was a huge joy to have liberated France, even though it wasn’t quite over.
It was a huge joy to have liberated France, even though it wasn’t quite over.
Es war eine große Freude, Frankreich befreit zu haben, auch wenn es noch nicht ganz vorbei war. -
Alsace-Lorraine was still occupied; there was still the submarine basis in the enclave of La Rochelle.
Alsace-Lorraine was still occupied; there was still the submarine basis in the enclave of La Rochelle.
Elsaß-Lothringen war immer noch besetzt; es gab immer noch die U-Boot-Basis in der Enklave von La Rochelle. -
But really it was liberation.
But really it was liberation.
Aber es war wirklich eine Befreiung. -
We had the satisfaction of saying that we had won.
We had the satisfaction of saying that we had won.
Wir hatten die Genugtuung zu sagen, dass wir gewonnen hatten. -
Not all of the comrades that had been in the group with us joined the army afterwards.
Not all of the comrades that had been in the group with us joined the army afterwards.
Nicht alle Kameraden aus unserer Gruppe gingen schließlich mit zur Armee. -
But we had committed ourselves through the entire war.
But we had committed ourselves through the entire war.
Aber wir verpflichteten uns für die ganze Dauer des Krieges. -
I continued because I wanted to avenge Louis. At his funeral we had sworn that we would avenge him.
I continued because I wanted to avenge Louis. At his funeral we had sworn that we would avenge him.
Ich machte weiter, um Louis zu rächen. Bei seiner Beerdigung hatten wir uns geschworen ihn zu rächen. -
That meant to fight the Nazis until the end.
That meant to fight the Nazis until the end.
Das bedeutete, die Nazis bis zum Ende zu bekämpfen. -
Preparation of the Liberation day
Preparation of the Liberation day
Vorbereitung zum Befreiungstag -
Louis Meunier and I were very close. I was also very close to his family.
Louis Meunier and I were very close. I was also very close to his family.
Louis Meunier und ich waren uns sehr nahe. Ich war auch seiner Familie sehr nahe. -
We knew each other from the times of the Communist Youth Movement.
We knew each other from the times of the Communist Youth Movement.
Wir kannten uns aus der Zeit der Kommunistischen Jugendbewegung. -
Our group did not only consist of young communists, but of young Catholics as well,
Our group did not only consist of young communists, but of young Catholics as well,
Unsere Gruppe bestand nicht nur aus jungen Kommunisten, sondern auch aus jungen Katholiken -
or of people that hadn’t been affiliated to any group.
or of people that hadn’t been affiliated to any group.
oder Personen, die keiner Gruppe angehörten. -
His death affected me enormously.
His death affected me enormously.
Sein Tod hat mich enorm getroffen. -
The day he was arrested by the Nazis, along with his father, we had separated just a quarter of an hour earlier.
The day he was arrested by the Nazis, along with his father, we had separated just a quarter of an hour earlier.
Am Tag, als er und sein Vater von den Nazis verhaftet wurden, waren wir nur eine Viertelstunde vorher auseinander gegangen. -
The collaborating government, the mayor of the municipality, had already been arrested by the resistance
The collaborating government, the mayor of the municipality, had already been arrested by the resistance
Die Kollaborationsregierung, der Bürgermeister usw., waren bereits von der Résistance verhaftet worden. -
and we were supposed to organize the take-over of the City Hall
and we were supposed to organize the take-over of the City Hall
Wir mussten die Übernahme des Rathauses organisieren -
and the establishment of the Liberation Committee for the following day.
and the establishment of the Liberation Committee for the following day.
und die Einrichtung des Comité de Libération. -
This all happened on August 20th 1944. The Germans were still in Nanterre.
This all happened on August 20th 1944. The Germans were still in Nanterre.
Das alles passierte am 20. August 1944. Die Deutschen waren immer noch in Nanterre. -
Louis Meunier, his father and I had met to ensure the security of the event.
Louis Meunier, his father and I had met to ensure the security of the event.
Louis Meunier, sein Vater und ich trafen uns, um die Sicherheit des Ereignisses zu gewährleisten.