European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Qualcuno degli interpreti anche italiani -
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
te lo spiegavano anche loro che c’è una possibilità che Mussolini e Hitler -
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
hanno deciso che gli italiani non devono essere prigionieri in questa nazione -
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
i famosi IMI, cioè sulla divisa che avevi -
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
ci doveva esser scritto IMI (Internati Militari Italiani). -
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Noi, a cominciare da me, due marescialli della finanza sardagnoli, cioè in quattro o cinque, -
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
nel mio campo c’erano in 550, siamo riusciti a non far firmare nessuno, -
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
perché mentre loro dicevano “vi mandiamo in Italia -
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
e poi lì c’è la Monte Rosa che vi aspetta”, -
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
noi la Monte Rosa immaginavamo ma non sapevamo che cos’era, -
but this is what we would tell them:
but this is what we would tell them:
sai cosa gli dicevamo noi? -
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Non firmiamo ragazzi perché sul fronte russo ci mancano le forze, mancano i soldati, loro ci mandano sul fronte russo!”. -
So nobody signed.
So nobody signed.
Non ha firmato nessuno, -
The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
senonchè il capo dei capi „Lagerführer“ -
was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
che comandava il campo gli è venuta una rabbia una volta, -
– I will tell you this in German –
– I will tell you this in German –
te lo dico in tedesco -
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”, tre giorni senza pane, non ce l’hanno mica dato per tre giorni. -
The cold and the work
The cold and the work
Freddo e lavoro -
When we arrived there, the French asked us:
When we arrived there, the French asked us:
I francesi quando noi siamo arrivati là, perché noi siamo dei furbacchioni -
“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
ci hanno chiesto “voi che venite da fuori, cosa si dice,