European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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You were simply expected to be at work, even if you didn’t do anything all day.
You were simply expected to be at work, even if you didn’t do anything all day.
a lavorare anche che tu non avessi fatto niente tutto il giorno però dovevi stare lì sul lavoro. -
It was very cold where we were.
It was very cold where we were.
Erano zone dove c’era molto freddo, -
There were Russian women, as well as some men.
There were Russian women, as well as some men.
con delle donne sovietiche ma anche dei maschi. -
The harsh life of the camp
The harsh life of the camp
La dura vita nel campo -
All they gave us to eat was one of those tall loaves of dark bread.
All they gave us to eat was one of those tall loaves of dark bread.
Là da mangiare ti davano un pane, uno di quei pani neri alti, -
It was a large loaf, but you had to split it in five pieces.
It was a large loaf, but you had to split it in five pieces.
quei panoni così però li dovevi dividere in cinque, -
That’s all you got until evening. Then at night we were given some slop, but no more bread.
That’s all you got until evening. Then at night we were given some slop, but no more bread.
ti toccava una fetta e fino a sera non ti davano niente, ti davano quella sbrodaglia lì ma il pane era solo quello. -
That piece of bread was like gold for me: I used to eat it bit by bit, in order to savor it.
That piece of bread was like gold for me: I used to eat it bit by bit, in order to savor it.
Era un tesoro, ne mangiavo un pezzettino per volta per assaggiare un po’ di pane, -
We were terribly hungry and in the winter, when we went to work in Hagen, it was freezing:
We were terribly hungry and in the winter, when we went to work in Hagen, it was freezing:
la fame era tremenda e quando andavamo a lavorare ad Hagen d’inverno c’era un freddo da morire, -
we spent the whole day close to a river and the air was unbearable.
we spent the whole day close to a river and the air was unbearable.
tutto il giorno là in mezzo, eravamo vicino ad un fiume e c’era un’aria che era una cosa impressionante. -
At lunch they gave us some slop.
At lunch they gave us some slop.
Loro ti davano a mezzogiorno quella sbobba lì, -
That’s where I’ve learned about margarine,
That’s where I’ve learned about margarine,
che poi ho conosciuto lì la margarina, -
chard, turnip, and this kind of stuff, all minced, cooked and seasoned with some of this margarine.
chard, turnip, and this kind of stuff, all minced, cooked and seasoned with some of this margarine.
sia le bietole, le rape tutta roba macinata cotta così, condita con un po’ di questa margarina -
Those who came last ended up eating it cold,
Those who came last ended up eating it cold,
che agli ultimi toccava anche fredda, -
and it was often my case, since I did not like to cram up with all the others.
and it was often my case, since I did not like to cram up with all the others.
io poi che non volevo sempre stare là ammucchiato, ero sempre in fondo mi toccava sempre la fredda. -
When we were allowed to break ranks,
When we were allowed to break ranks,
Delle volte, quando davano il “rompete le righe”, -
the Germans used to enjoy watching us cram in line and get into disputes.
the Germans used to enjoy watching us cram in line and get into disputes.
per divertirsi anche loro saltavano tutti la cavalla, -
Forage caps would typically be falling in the soup, something that would drive people out of their minds.
Forage caps would typically be falling in the soup, something that would drive people out of their minds.
tutte le bustine (i berretti) dentro alla minestra, era un modo per cui c’era gente che partiva di testa. -
My Corporal, whose name was Mario Palazzeschi, from Arezzo, was incredibly healthy, a lot healthier than me.
My Corporal, whose name was Mario Palazzeschi, from Arezzo, was incredibly healthy, a lot healthier than me.
Il mio caporal maggiore, un certo Palazzeschi Mario di Arezzo, un ragazzo che non ha mai avuto niente, anzi se io ero sano credevo che gli altri fossero più sani di me, -
One day, however, he began to cry, sobbing “Carlo, I won’t make it, I won’t make it…”.
One day, however, he began to cry, sobbing “Carlo, I won’t make it, I won’t make it…”.
ha cominciato a piangere “non ce la faccio Carlo, non ce la faccio..” “Ma lascia stare…”