European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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So we went into the Enza river
So we went into the Enza river
Wir gingen über die Straße und dann zum Enza hinunter: -
and there was not even a small stick where we could have hidden
and there was not even a small stick where we could have hidden
es gab nicht mal einen Stock, hinter dem man sich verstecken konnte, nur eine einzige Wasserfläche, -
if the fog lifted.
if the fog lifted.
nirgends ein Versteck, wenn der Nebel sich verzogen hätte. -
"Mirco" had a partisan in his team, a big man that lived in this area,
"Mirco" had a partisan in his team, a big man that lived in this area,
"Mirko" hatte in seiner Gruppe einen Partisanen, der aus der Gegend kam, ein großer Mann, er hatte auch so einen Spitznamen, -
and he asked to give him a person that could go with him to his place
and he asked to give him a person that could go with him to his place
ich erinnere mich gerade nicht daran. Er sagte: "Gib mir einen mit, ich gehe zu mir nach Hause -
to get a rope for crossing the river because the water was high.
to get a rope for crossing the river because the water was high.
und hole ein Seil zum durchqueren", das Wasser stand sehr hoch. -
So they came back with the rope
So they came back with the rope
Sie kamen mit dem Seil zurück, wir hatten ein kleines weißes Pferd: -
and we tied one end to the big rocks on one shore
and we tied one end to the big rocks on one shore
das Seil banden wir an einen Felsen in der Uferbefestigung. -
and the other end to the saddle of a little white horse that we had.
and the other end to the saddle of a little white horse that we had.
Er band es fest, wir rollten es aus und jemand band es am Sattel des Pferdes fest. Ein kleines weißes Pferd, -
The horse was very skinny and was standing just because it had four legs.
The horse was very skinny and was standing just because it had four legs.
das arme Ding hätte einen Ständer unterm Bauch gebraucht, weil es so mager war, es blieb nur stehen, weil es vier Beine hatte. -
We crossed the river walking in the water and holding the rope.
We crossed the river walking in the water and holding the rope.
Als das Seil gespannt war, hieß es: "Los, los, los!". Es war noch etwas Platz vom Pferd bis dahin, aber wir waren schon... -
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...