European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I have always remembered the fact that when the landlord arrived in the courtyard,
I have always remembered the fact that when the landlord arrived in the courtyard,
L’altra cosa che mi è sempre rimasta in mente è che quando arrivava nel cortile la padrona -
my mother told us younger children to go inside.
my mother told us younger children to go inside.
la mamma a noi tre o quattro più piccoli ci faceva andare in casa. -
I was really curious to see the landlord woman, all dressed up and carrying a small sunshade.
I was really curious to see the landlord woman, all dressed up and carrying a small sunshade.
Non potevamo assistere. Io che ero curiosa e che avrei voluto vedere questa donna che arrivava, che era la contessa Carbonieri di Parma che arrivava con l’ombrellino e vestita benissimo -
She was the countess Carbonieri of Parma.
She was the countess Carbonieri of Parma.
non potevo vederla, perché la mamma ci mandava in casa. -
Later I understood why we had to go inside.
Later I understood why we had to go inside.
Più tardi ho capito, perché nel contratto di mezzadria -
My mother didn’t want the landlord to see us kids who could not work yet.
My mother didn’t want the landlord to see us kids who could not work yet.
i bimbi e i ragazzi che non erano braccia da lavoro e che erano solo bocche da sfamare -
She didn’t want her to count how many cups of milk she would take out every morning to feed us.
She didn’t want her to count how many cups of milk she would take out every morning to feed us.
non si voleva che la padrona arrivando nel cortile vedesse otto figli di cui quattro non potevano lavorare -
In the sharecropping contract, if four of us kids were not working, we were only more mouths to feed.
In the sharecropping contract, if four of us kids were not working, we were only more mouths to feed.
e che la padrona avesse la possibilità di contare quante tazze di latte al mattino la mamma sottraeva per darci da mangiare. -
My school only went up to the third grade.
My school only went up to the third grade.
Lì c’era solo fino alla terza elementare -
In order to do the remaining two years one had to go further away.
In order to do the remaining two years one had to go further away.
quindi gli altri due anni fino alla quinta bisognava spostarsi dal centro del comune, -
This would have meant adding three more kilometres to the three I was already doing.
This would have meant adding three more kilometres to the three I was already doing.
quindi per me che facevo già tre chilometri da casa per andare a quella scuola se ne sarebbero aggiunti altri tre per andare -
It wouldn’t have been the biggest problem though.
It wouldn’t have been the biggest problem though.
a scuola fino alla quinta elementare. Ma questo non era il problema più grosso, -
Most families thought that if they were to make sacrifices it had to be for the boys, not for the girls.
Most families thought that if they were to make sacrifices it had to be for the boys, not for the girls.
il problema più grande era che nelle famiglie oramai era diventata radicata l’abitudine e anche il pensare che se c’era qualcuno in famiglia per il quale si doveva fare un sacrificio con la maggior spesa, -
It was customary, so I didn’t even think about it.
It was customary, so I didn’t even think about it.
doveva essere un uomo, non doveva essere una donna. Quindi per me non si è neanche posto il problema; -
After I had finished the third grade I was supposed to stay at home, as there was no money for me to continue.
After I had finished the third grade I was supposed to stay at home, as there was no money for me to continue.
io alla terza elementare dovevo stare a casa e basta, perché non c’erano le possibilità per mandarmi a scuola fino almeno alla quinta elementare. -
It was something we were
It was something we were
Ma questa era una cosa alla quale -
used to hear and also understand.
used to hear and also understand.
eravamo abituati sia a sentirla che a capirla -
Traditionally, as you got married,
Traditionally, as you got married,
perché il sapere delle donne nella mentalità corrente di allora -
you would have to carry what you learned as a woman at home into a new house, in a new family.
you would have to carry what you learned as a woman at home into a new house, in a new family.
voleva dire portarlo fuori di casa, poiché una volta sposata andavi in un'altra casa, in un'altra famiglia. -
However, all you were supposed to do was to be a good wife in your new life,
However, all you were supposed to do was to be a good wife in your new life,
Invece dovevi essere solo una brava moglie nella nuova vita,