European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

I had never seen one before. It was amazing, with its shiny coloured paper.

The teacher handed out an egg to all the children while I was left out. I wasn’t worth it.

Can you imagine the despair of a seven-year-old girl, as she walked home thinking

that she was different because of such a pointless motive? Because she didn’t have a white shirt and a black skirt?

After I had a son and a family of my own,

I told him what I had gone through when I was seven.

So every year at Easter, he brings me a huge Easter egg.

Liberation of Reggio Emilia

After we had blown up the bridges we were to go to Reggio with our unit,

to the “Buco del Signore” district, to find out what the situation was.

At 8 the 26th Brigade would arrive to enter the city.

My duty was to blow up the bridges to stop the Germans,

then leave on the 24th and reach Buco del Signore.

We blew up all the bridges.

At 5 in the evening I was there with my unit.

I had left the mountains, a lovely family, and we were all crying for our separation…

The brigade arrived at 8. At 10 we headed out

and Luigi ordered me to place myself at the head of the brigade

to monitor the situation and proceed slowly to avoid mines or traps.

We entered the city slowly and arrived at the San Pietro gate.