European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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The 144th Brigade was called “Antonio Gramsci”
The 144th Brigade was called “Antonio Gramsci”
la 144 Brigata si chiamava “Antonio Gramsci”, -
and the commander was "Sintoni", one that had fought in the Spanish civil war, Pattacini,
and the commander was "Sintoni", one that had fought in the Spanish civil war, Pattacini,
il comandante era "Sintoni" che aveva fatto la guerra di Spagna, Pattacini, -
the commissioner was Antonio Raisi, who'd fought in Spain, too, so all people that were political experts.
the commissioner was Antonio Raisi, who'd fought in Spain, too, so all people that were political experts.
il commissario era Raisi Antonio che aveva fatto la guerra di Spagna anche lui, insomma tutta della gente che erano dei maestri politici -
That was our line.
That was our line.
e noi si seguiva proprio così -
A priest, Don Guido Riva, once complained to us:
A priest, Don Guido Riva, once complained to us:
e infatti un parroco don Guido Riva, stavamo lì allora brontolava sempre -
"You never come to mass! What’s wrong, are you afraid of the Church?"
"You never come to mass! What’s wrong, are you afraid of the Church?"
“Non venite mai a messa! Avete paura della Chiesa?” -
I mean, we had no political experience but we thought that
I mean, we had no political experience but we thought that
insomma non avevamo esperienza politica però pensavamo -
by behaving like this we would be tougher enemies, and in fact we did grow up.
by behaving like this we would be tougher enemies, and in fact we did grow up.
che a fare così fossimo avversari ancora di più infatti siamo cresciuti. -
So our Brigade truly was the red one,
So our Brigade truly was the red one,
E dopo tanto la nostra brigata era proprio rossa rossa -
so that they hardly ever dropped stuff to us, or if they did,
so that they hardly ever dropped stuff to us, or if they did,
infatti non facevano quasi mai dei lanci, oppure lanciavano -
they gave us useless stuff like shoes size 44 - you could place your two feet in one shoe!
they gave us useless stuff like shoes size 44 - you could place your two feet in one shoe!
della roba ultimamente delle scarpe 44 che ci stavano due piedi dentro -
Even our commanders were saying that we were somehow different.
Even our commanders were saying that we were somehow different.
perché anche chi comandava allora diceva che siamo insomma un po’ diversi. -
In fact, I wasn't into politics that much,
In fact, I wasn't into politics that much,
No io non me ne intendevo tanto di politica effettivamente, -
but to be against the fascists and the Germans
but to be against the fascists and the Germans
però essere contro i fascisti e contro i tedeschi -
meant to be against the bad people that had wanted the war.
meant to be against the bad people that had wanted the war.
vuole dire essere contro della gente cattiva che ha voluto la guerra, ecco; -
When we did the Liberation it was a big relief for us
When we did the Liberation it was a big relief for us
infatti quando abbiamo fatto la Liberazione abbiamo dato un gran sospiro di sollievo -
because this was what we had wanted. But what did they want?
because this was what we had wanted. But what did they want?
perché lo si voleva e loro invece che cosa volevano? -
They just wanted people to be killed, we've seen it many times.
They just wanted people to be killed, we've seen it many times.
Volevano solo fare ammazzare della gente, abbiamo visto i casi che abbiamo saputo. -
For example, when they did their killings at the Bettola, or in Cerrè Sologno,
For example, when they did their killings at the Bettola, or in Cerrè Sologno,
Ad esempio quando hanno ammazzato alla Bettola, quando hanno ammazzato a Cerrè Sologno, -
they did terrible retaliation acts.
they did terrible retaliation acts.
lì han fatto delle rappresaglie tremende,