European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I received a letter from the Government stating that I immediately had to go back to Italy, since I was not supposed to be there.
I received a letter from the Government stating that I immediately had to go back to Italy, since I was not supposed to be there.
arriva un documento del Ministero che io devo rientrare subito in Italia perché non dovevo essere lì: -
I was taken to the port and embarked on a ship whose name was Disentine.
I was taken to the port and embarked on a ship whose name was Disentine.
si va al porto, ci imbarchiamo sulla nave e mi ricorderò sempre si chiamava Disentine quella nave, -
We stayed there three days without setting sail, apparently because there were British u-boats.
We stayed there three days without setting sail, apparently because there were British u-boats.
siamo stati lì tre giorni, e la nave non partiva perché c’erano i sottomarini inglesi, questo è quello che si diceva. -
Then one evening, from the ship, we saw that there were great celebrations in Durres,
Then one evening, from the ship, we saw that there were great celebrations in Durres,
Una sera lo vedevamo dalla nave, è scoppiata lì a Durazzo una grande festa, -
people hugging all around, and we decided to get off.
people hugging all around, and we decided to get off.
la gente che si abbracciava, dopo siamo scesi giù: -
It was the 8th of September, Badoglio had just declared the armistice.
It was the 8th of September, Badoglio had just declared the armistice.
Badoglio aveva detto che la guerra era finita, tutta quella storia lì, l’8 settembre. -
There were also fifty German soldiers in Durres:
There were also fifty German soldiers in Durres:
Lì con noi come truppe di occupazione c’erano anche una cinquantina di tedeschi, sempre roba dell’esercito, -
they took off their uniforms and celebrated with us,
they took off their uniforms and celebrated with us,
i tedeschi si sono spogliati anche loro poi hanno festeggiato insieme agli italiani; -
and got dressed as Germans again only eight days later.
and got dressed as Germans again only eight days later.
dopo otto giorni sono tornati a vestirsi da tedeschi. -
From that day, nobody was able to correspond with Rome.
From that day, nobody was able to correspond with Rome.
Dopo lì nessuno comunicava più con Roma, -
Even those in charge of the different services or of the orderly room could not speak to anyone in Rome: nobody would answer.
Even those in charge of the different services or of the orderly room could not speak to anyone in Rome: nobody would answer.
cioè anche gli addetti ai servizi, la foreria ecc., non riusciva più a comunicare con Roma perché non rispondeva nessuno -
Maybe it was better this way.
Maybe it was better this way.
e forse è stata anche una fortuna: -
One day, our officers in charge, such as General Mondini, from Parma, who was the Commanding General of my division,
One day, our officers in charge, such as General Mondini, from Parma, who was the Commanding General of my division,
i nostri grandi ufficiali, il generale Mondini che era di Parma, che era il generale della mia divisione e della Reggio, -
pulled the troops together and deliberately lied to us.
pulled the troops together and deliberately lied to us.
ad un certo momento hanno radunato tutti i soldati e han detto una balla, -
I think they knew from the very start that what they were telling us was a lie,
I think they knew from the very start that what they were telling us was a lie,
secondo me era una balla anche quando l’hanno detta, -
but they told us that they had reached an agreement with the Germans: they would take us to Trieste,
but they told us that they had reached an agreement with the Germans: they would take us to Trieste,
cioè hanno detto che avevano raggiunto un accordo con i tedeschi, che loro ci avrebbero portati a Trieste -
where we would all be able to go our own way.
where we would all be able to go our own way.
poi ognuno si sceglieva la propria strada. -
I was quite skeptical, but we all got on the train. There were forty-two of us on each railcar.
I was quite skeptical, but we all got on the train. There were forty-two of us on each railcar.
Io non è che ci credessi troppo, e infatti ci siamo imbarcati, eravamo quarantadue ogni vagone. -
When we reached the border the Germans locked the railcars, allegedly because of the Partisans.
When we reached the border the Germans locked the railcars, allegedly because of the Partisans.
Arriviamo sul confine e allora chiudono i vagoni dicendo che c’erano i partigiani. -
In the morning – I had a small booklet with a map – it turned out we were in Austria.
In the morning – I had a small booklet with a map – it turned out we were in Austria.
Alla mattina, io avevo un libriccino in cui c’era una cartina, eravamo in Austria,