European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
We thought it was the Germans
We thought it was the Germans
“Dai dai dai che sono i tedeschi! Dai dai dai che sono i tedeschi!” -
and got ready to shoot but
and got ready to shoot but
allora via ci prepariamo tutti quanti… -
it was a car driven by a black man, smoking a long cigar.
it was a car driven by a black man, smoking a long cigar.
Era un autoblindo con un nero sopra! Aveva un sigarone lungo così, là che lo fumava! -
They recognized us as partisans so they came to us and we hugged.
They recognized us as partisans so they came to us and we hugged.
Siamo arrivati lì, hanno visto che noi siamo partigiani allora si sono fermati, sono venuti giù, ci siamo abbracciati… -
That guy was from Brazil
That guy was from Brazil
Era poi un brasiliano quello lì, -
and as he came to us he threw the cigar away.
and as he came to us he threw the cigar away.
ha buttato il sigaro verso la riva del prato e io come ho visto zum! -
As I saw it I ran to the cigar, put it out and put it in my pocket.
As I saw it I ran to the cigar, put it out and put it in my pocket.
Vado a prenderlo, l’ho spento poi me lo sono messo lì -
To that time we were smoking leaves from nut- and cherry-trees.
To that time we were smoking leaves from nut- and cherry-trees.
perché noi fumavamo solo delle foglie di noce o foglie di ciliegio, -
But the guy saw what I was doing and gave me a new one to smoke.
But the guy saw what I was doing and gave me a new one to smoke.
e lui mi fa “No, no! Toh!” me ne ha dato uno e ha voluto che buttassi via quello là perché lo aveva adoperato lui. -
They gave us some chocolate
They gave us some chocolate
Dopo ci hanno dato un pezzo di cioccolata, -
and asked us how we were doing, they spoke Italian.
and asked us how we were doing, they spoke Italian.
allora “Come va? Come va?” e parlavano anche l’italiano. -
We stayed there all night and the next morning the order came
We stayed there all night and the next morning the order came
Tutta notte siamo stati lì e la mattina all’alba viene l’ordine: -
to the detachement "Anti-Fascist" to go to Bibbiano
to the detachement "Anti-Fascist" to go to Bibbiano
il distaccamento “Antifascista” di andare a Bibbiano -
and occupy the village of Bibbiano.
and occupy the village of Bibbiano.
perché dobbiamo occupare il paese di Bibbiano, -
We would have preferred to go to Quattro Castella
We would have preferred to go to Quattro Castella
e noi invece ci tenevamo ad andare verso Quattro Castella -
because that was in the direction of Reggio Emilia.
because that was in the direction of Reggio Emilia.
perché da Quattro Castella dopo c’era Roncolo e poi andavamo verso Reggio. -
But we went to Bibbiano.
But we went to Bibbiano.
E difatti a Bibbiano ci siamo stati: -
We arrived in the morning, walking slowly, and there was no one.
We arrived in the morning, walking slowly, and there was no one.
alla mattina arriviamo là, pian pianino, non c’è anima viva; -
So we set up another temporary post,
So we set up another temporary post,
allora cominciamo a fare un’altra postazione provvisoria. -
and all of a sudden from behind the trees the Germans started to come out,
and all of a sudden from behind the trees the Germans started to come out,
Da dietro gli alberi cominciano a saltare fuori i tedeschi tutti così con le mani in alto…