European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We’d leave around two or three o’clock in the morning to distribute the leaflets.
We’d leave around two or three o’clock in the morning to distribute the leaflets.
Uscivamo verso le due o le tre del mattino per andare a distribuire, ci spartivamo le vie. -
Sometimes we’d distribute them in front of the factory gates, even though that was very risky.
Sometimes we’d distribute them in front of the factory gates, even though that was very risky.
A volte lo facevamo all'uscita delle fabbriche, ma era molto rischioso, essendo in pieno giorno. -
It was also difficult to produce the leaflets. It was good to distribute them, but they had to be made first!
It was also difficult to produce the leaflets. It was good to distribute them, but they had to be made first!
E poi c'è anche da parlare del problema della produzione del materiale. Certo andava distribuito, ma bisognava prima farlo. -
So we tried to find friends that were not too well known and take the material there -
So we tried to find friends that were not too well known and take the material there -
Ci arrangiavamo, chiedevamo a degli amici che non erano molto conosciuti di trasportare il materiale, -
the mimeograph machine, and the typewriter and hide them in the basement.
the mimeograph machine, and the typewriter and hide them in the basement.
il ciclostile, la macchina da scrivere, e di nasconderli in cantina. -
We had to take precautions to protect these friends, but to be able to continue with our activities as well.
We had to take precautions to protect these friends, but to be able to continue with our activities as well.
Dovevamo stare attentissimi, in primo luogo per proteggere questi amici, e poi per poter continuare con queste cose. -
We organized ourselves, trying to find places where we could secretly meet,
We organized ourselves, trying to find places where we could secretly meet,
Ci organizzavamo tra di noi. All'inizio abbiamo cercato dei posti per incontrarci clandestinamente, -
where two or three of us could meet, maybe four, never more than four.
where two or three of us could meet, maybe four, never more than four.
dove potersi incontrare in due o tre, ma mai più di tre o quattro. -
We would meet in a basement or at friends’ not known for their political activities, but willing to help.
We would meet in a basement or at friends’ not known for their political activities, but willing to help.
Ci incontravamo o in una cantina oppure da amici che non erano conosciuti per la loro attività politica ma erano pronti ad aiutarci. -
They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
Ci ricevevano. Noi arrivavamo, chi a un'ora chi a un'altra. Sempre a orari diversi. -
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
Dovevamo anche nascondere il materiale di cui avevamo bisogno, ovvero il ciclostile, la macchina da scrivere, ecc. -
We had to be careful with all of that.
We had to be careful with all of that.
Bisognava starci molto attenti. -
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
C'era grande prudenza, che s'instaurava leggendo quello che scrivevano… -
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
«Arrestati questi e quei militanti…" stava scritto nei giornali della regione di Rouen. Bisognava stare attenti. -
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
Avevamo un discreto sostegno da parte della popolazione. C'era gente che diceva -
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
che queste cose non andavano fatte. Ma c'era anche gente che ci sosteneva. -
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
Lo facevano sommessamente, perché avevano paura. -
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
Se le polizia scopriva legami con militanti noti, si potevano avere problemi o
farsi arrestare. -
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
Sia noi che le persone a cui davamo il materiale rischiavamo di essere catturati dalla polizia. Era molto difficile. -
First political engagements
First political engagements
Gli inizi dell'impegno politico