European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Partisans were dressed in normal clothes, wore a little bit of everything.
Partisans were dressed in normal clothes, wore a little bit of everything.
I partigiani erano vestiti un po’ in borghese, così, un po’ di tutto… qualcuno aveva un pastrano, anche dell’esercito, un po’ di tutto in poche parole… -
They were sort of ragged,
They were sort of ragged,
un po’ straccioni erano, insomma, -
because there really wasn’t any organization yet.
because there really wasn’t any organization yet.
perché poi non c’era una grande organizzazione, -
They were they first ones.
They were they first ones.
erano i primi… -
They had already fought in the area of Modena and Reggio.
They had already fought in the area of Modena and Reggio.
perché hanno fatto dei combattimenti già nel modenese e nel reggiano, -
They had already disarmed a few garrisons, but they didn’t have spare clothes or supplies.
They had already disarmed a few garrisons, but they didn’t have spare clothes or supplies.
già qualche presidio l’avevano disarmato però non è che avessero la scorta di indumenti nel magazzino, né viveri, -
They were carrying everything they had on their shoulders.
They were carrying everything they had on their shoulders.
quello che avevano lo avevano sulle spalle. -
No uniforms.
No uniforms.
Divise no. Magari uno poteva avere dei calzoni, una giacca da militare e un altro… -
As an example, I was wearing civilian clothes when I left for the mountains.
As an example, I was wearing civilian clothes when I left for the mountains.
Io per esempio ero in borghese quando sono andato su, come adesso. -
I had on this black coat my sister had made for me.
I had on this black coat my sister had made for me.
Avevo un giacchettone nero che mi aveva fatto mia sorella, -
Later I left it in Cerrè Sologno, because it was snowing; you could be spotted from miles away.
Later I left it in Cerrè Sologno, because it was snowing; you could be spotted from miles away.
però a Cerré Sologno l’ho lasciato in una stalla, c’era la neve, potevi essere individuato a un km di distanza, l’ho lasciato lì. -
We used battle names and nothing else.
We used battle names and nothing else.
Nomi di battaglia e basta. -
The real names were collected and then taken to Carpineti,
The real names were collected and then taken to Carpineti,
I nomi venivano raccolti, il nome vero, poi portati a Carpiteti -
where one of our comrades kept them hidden.
where one of our comrades kept them hidden.
che c’era un nostro compagno che li teneva nascosti e… -
He had all the names of our brigade, and later also of the 26th brigade lead by Luigi.
He had all the names of our brigade, and later also of the 26th brigade lead by Luigi.
teneva tutti i nomi della nostra brigata, successivamente, della 26° brigata comandata da Luigi, i nomi li conservava lui. -
He and his wife had been ordered not to expose themselves too much.
He and his wife had been ordered not to expose themselves too much.
Che a lui era vietato anche, lui e sua moglie, di scoprirsi un po’ troppo, -
For example, I was known as Toni, but he had my full name, my address.
For example, I was known as Toni, but he had my full name, my address.
perché lui poi aveva questo deposito dei veri nomi, io mi chiamavo Toni ma ma aveva il mio nome, cognome, la residenza ecc. -
If the Germans took control of this, it would have been a disaster.
If the Germans took control of this, it would have been a disaster.
se andava in mano ai tedeschi era un disastro. -
They had found a cave with many hollows. We hid our names there. Nobody found them.
They had found a cave with many hollows. We hid our names there. Nobody found them.
Avevano fatto una grotta, avevano trovato una grotta con molte fosse e li abbiamo nascosti lì dentro, che nessuno li ha scoperti insomma. -
“What battle name would you like?” - “Any name is alright for me” - “Is Toni ok?” - “Yes, Toni is good”.
“What battle name would you like?” - “Any name is alright for me” - “Is Toni ok?” - “Yes, Toni is good”.
“Che nome ti vuoi dare?”. “Mettete il nome che vi pare, a me va sempre bene”. “Va bene Toni?” “Si, va bene Toni”. Tutto lì.