European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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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 -
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
Ho iniziato a lavorare in fabbrica nel 1934/1935. E poi ci sono state le grandi giornate del 1936. -
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
È lì che sono entrato nel movimento operaio. Ho partecipato agli scioperi del 1936. Avevo 16 e lavoravo in fabbrica. -
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Nel 1937/1938 sono entrato nella Gioventù Comunista, -
There you could fight for your demands.
There you could fight for your demands.
che ci permetteva di combattere per le nostre rivendicazioni. -
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
Avevo dei compagni che mi chiedevano: “Perché non entri nella Gioventù Comunista?” E così l'ho fatto. -
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Nel '36 partecipavamo alle attività sindacali e alle manifestazioni. Così sono entrato nella Gioventù Comunista. -
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
Questo ha cambiato le cose, dovevamo prendere degli accorgimenti per nasconderci, in una sorta di clandestinità. -
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
L'interdizione del Partito Comunista e della Gioventù Comunista avevano fatto scalpore. -
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
E mio padre, che era un po' anarchico, mi ha detto: -
asked me if I was going to stop my activities as he thought I was going to pay dearly.
asked me if I was going to stop my activities as he thought I was going to pay dearly.
"Ti dovrai fermare! Ti costerà cara, hai visto che hanno proibito questo, hanno fatto quello…" -
I answered him, that it was my business. I was 17 at the time and argued: “Should one stop just because…”
I answered him, that it was my business. I was 17 at the time and argued: “Should one stop just because…”
Gli ho risposto che era un mio problema. Avevo 17 anni… "Mica bisogna fermarsi davanti a…" -
I asked him how he could work as a coppersmith on ships in 1936/1937 and not even join the trade union.
I asked him how he could work as a coppersmith on ships in 1936/1937 and not even join the trade union.
"Tu hai vissuto in prima persona il 1936-37 a bordo delle navi come calderaio, nella metallurgia, e non sei nemmeno nel sindacato." -
We had quite a discussion. He himself was not politically active. That took some effort and he worked a lot.
We had quite a discussion. He himself was not politically active. That took some effort and he worked a lot.
Non era politicamente attivo politicamente perché era molto impegnato con il lavoro. -
We had to keep a low profile. You can not really call it undercover; we were known to the police.
We had to keep a low profile. You can not really call it undercover; we were known to the police.
Eravamo obbligati a muoverci nella clandestinità. Non si trattava di vera e propria clandestinità, ma la polizia ci conosceva. -
So we had to take some precautionary measures:
So we had to take some precautionary measures:
Dovevamo prendere degli accorgimenti.