European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We were all waiting in line. There were people
We were all waiting in line. There were people
Noi eravamo in coda, -
like the guy who told on me, a baker whose name was Montermini.
like the guy who told on me, a baker whose name was Montermini.
perché quello che ha fatto il mio nome, un certo Montermini che faceva il fornaio -
He was sentenced to fifteen years by the special court, and served quite a few of them.
He was sentenced to fifteen years by the special court, and served quite a few of them.
si è beccato quindici anni al tribunale speciale e ne ha fatti un bel po’, -
We were the last ones, and our sentences were lighter: as for myself, I was sentenced to four years of confinement.
We were the last ones, and our sentences were lighter: as for myself, I was sentenced to four years of confinement.
quindi noi eravamo gli ultimi e infatti le nostre condanne, io ho fatto quattro anni di confino. -
Nobody defended you, it was only up to you to stand up for yourself.
Nobody defended you, it was only up to you to stand up for yourself.
Non ti difendeva nessuno, ti difendevi te come potevi -
In any case, when you got into the movement you were aware that there would not be much you could do:
In any case, when you got into the movement you were aware that there would not be much you could do:
però quando entravi nel movimento non c’era niente da difendere, noi lo sapevamo anche prima -
we all knew that if we got caught we would end up doing a couple of years.
we all knew that if we got caught we would end up doing a couple of years.
che se ti scoprivano ti beccavi qualcosa, un paio d’anni li dovevi pur fare, -
It came to no surprise.
It came to no surprise.
eravamo avvertiti di quella cosa lì. -
I spent two months in the San Tommaso prison, in Reggio Emilia,
I spent two months in the San Tommaso prison, in Reggio Emilia,
Sono stato due mesi in carcere a San Tommaso a Reggio, -
before they were forced to transfer us to make room for new inmates.
before they were forced to transfer us to make room for new inmates.
poi a un bel momento hanno dovuto mandarci via perché hanno cominciato con degli arresti nuovi; -
We were 18 or 19, all fettered to the same chain.
We were 18 or 19, all fettered to the same chain.
eravamo 18-19, tutti ammanettati con una catena unica -
Our families had been told we would be at the station,
Our families had been told we would be at the station,
e quando siamo arrivati, a parte che i familiari erano stati avvertiti, -
so once we got there they had come to see us, and some of them were crying:
so once we got there they had come to see us, and some of them were crying:
qui alla stazione che eravamo tutti ammanettati c’erano anche dei familiari che piangevano a sua volta, -
we had to pretend everything was ok and force a smile in order to make it easier for them.
we had to pretend everything was ok and force a smile in order to make it easier for them.
e tu dovevi sacrificarti a ridere, a far finta di niente perché piangevano loro, se te gli davi una mano… -
When we arrived in Castelfranco, the warden came over and asked the sergeant, who was in charge of the guards,
When we arrived in Castelfranco, the warden came over and asked the sergeant, who was in charge of the guards,
Arriviamo a Castelfranco, il maresciallo, il capo delle guardie, è venuto il direttore e gli ha chiesto -
where they were supposed to put us, since the prison was also full.
where they were supposed to put us, since the prison was also full.
“dove li mettiamo questi qui?” perché era pieno anche là; -
He asked where we came from, and when he was told we were from Reggio Emilia, he said:
He asked where we came from, and when he was told we were from Reggio Emilia, he said:
ha chiesto “da dove vengono?” “da Reggio Emilia” -
“If it was for me, I would just dump them in a cesspit”.
“If it was for me, I would just dump them in a cesspit”.
e il direttore “se fosse per me li metterei tutti in un pozzo nero”. -
Very funny, isn’t it?
Very funny, isn’t it?
E’ una cosa buona anche questa qui eh? -
Although we had not done anything to be punished, they ended up putting us in confinement cells.
Although we had not done anything to be punished, they ended up putting us in confinement cells.
Dopo ci hanno messi nelle celle di punizione noi che non entravamo per punizione,