European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We got off there and they brought us to an old factory that was full of people.
We got off there and they brought us to an old factory that was full of people.
Lì siamo scesi e ci han portato in una vecchia fabbrica piena così -
They put sergeants there as guards, and I was a sergeant, they wouldn't let anyone pass.
They put sergeants there as guards, and I was a sergeant, they wouldn't let anyone pass.
e di guardia lì invece dei soldati ci hanno messo i sottufficiali, io ero sergente e sono stati lì a non far passare nessuno, uscire nessuno, -
I had no Lira in my pocket, only Kunas, the Croatian currency.
I had no Lira in my pocket, only Kunas, the Croatian currency.
solo che non avevo neanche una lira in tasca, solo la Cuna, la moneta del loro. -
There was a greengrocer there and I wanted grapes
There was a greengrocer there and I wanted grapes
C’era una fruttivendola, avevo una voglia di un grappolo d’uva -
so I went there to take a look and the lady said:
so I went there to take a look and the lady said:
e sono andato lì a guardare, la signora dice -
“Do you want grapes?” and I said “Yes madam, but I have no money”.
“Do you want grapes?” and I said “Yes madam, but I have no money”.
“Vuoi un grappolo d’uva?” e io dico “Vorrei signora, ma non ho i soldi” -
So she gave me the grapes for free.
So she gave me the grapes for free.
e allora me l’ha dato, era una donna anziana -
She was like a mother, she asked me where I came from
She was like a mother, she asked me where I came from
poteva essere come una mamma: mi ha chiesto da dove venivo, qua e là, -
and she said that the Germans were coming up from Jesi, from Ancona,
and she said that the Germans were coming up from Jesi, from Ancona,
mi ha spiegato che i tedeschi venivano su da Jesi, da Ancona, -
and that they were seizing the soldiers.
and that they were seizing the soldiers.
che prendevano i soldati. -
I went back and talked to the other seven fellows from Reggio Emilia.
I went back and talked to the other seven fellows from Reggio Emilia.
Io sono rientrato dentro, ho parlato… Eravamo in sette reggiani, -
Three came with me, we went home,
Three came with me, we went home,
tre sono venuti con me e gli altri tre no. -
we had a hard time but after eleven days we reached our homes walking and by train.
we had a hard time but after eleven days we reached our homes walking and by train.
Noi tre siamo arrivati a casa tribolando dopo undici giorni, un po’ in treno un po’ a piedi -
We wanted to be home by September because then there would be grapes and figs,
We wanted to be home by September because then there would be grapes and figs,
e allora dicevamo andiamo là che andare a casa in settembre c’è l’uva, ci sono i fichi, -
there would be something to eat, whereas there was nothing at the place we were staying.
there would be something to eat, whereas there was nothing at the place we were staying.
c’è qualcosa da mangiare non come qua che non c’è niente, e siamo arrivati a casa. -
In Reggio I stayed at some poor peoples' house.
In Reggio I stayed at some poor peoples' house.
Arrivato a Reggio stavo in una casa di poveri diavoli, -
The villa in front of the house where the landlord was living was full of Germans.
The villa in front of the house where the landlord was living was full of Germans.
di fronte c’era una villa con il padrone era piena di tedeschi; -
I stayed there, hiding, with little to eat, nothing to smoke, it was hard.
I stayed there, hiding, with little to eat, nothing to smoke, it was hard.
sono stato lì un po’ nascosto, poco mangiare, niente fumare, c’era proprio da tribolare. -
Connected through a friend of mine, I went to help a peasant harvesting grapes,
Connected through a friend of mine, I went to help a peasant harvesting grapes,
Sono andato a vendemmiare da un contadino tramite una mia amica: sono stato -
stayed there two-three days. Then they sent me back home,
stayed there two-three days. Then they sent me back home,
a vendemmiare due o tre giorni poi suo nonno mi ha mandato a casa,