European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We were taken to a farming penal colony, called “Colonia Confinati di Pisticci”, near Matera.
We were taken to a farming penal colony, called “Colonia Confinati di Pisticci”, near Matera.
Era una colonia agricola, il nostro indirizzo era “Colonia confinati Pisticci Matera”: -
It was a farming colony, so once we got there we began to work.
It was a farming colony, so once we got there we began to work.
là si è cominciato a lavorare, c’era una colonia agricola, -
If you want I can quickly tell you this story. The issue with this colony was
If you want I can quickly tell you this story. The issue with this colony was
poi questa storia qui se vuoi te la posso raccontare in due parole. Il dramma di quella colonia -
that it was opened when they had to close down the island of Ponza.
that it was opened when they had to close down the island of Ponza.
è che fu fatta perché avevano chiuso l’isola di Ponza, -
You see, in Ponza there were people like Terracini, Volponi, Cuccimarro
You see, in Ponza there were people like Terracini, Volponi, Cuccimarro
perché a Ponza, dove c’erano magari Terracini, Volponi, Cuccimarro, -
and other guys of this kind, who were lawyers.
and other guys of this kind, who were lawyers.
tutta quella gente lì che erano degli avvocati, -
As a consequence, everyone who was there, even the smallest farmer,
As a consequence, everyone who was there, even the smallest farmer,
e quindi succedeva che la gente, anche dal più piccolo contadino -
would be schooled by the time he left the colony: they all studied!
would be schooled by the time he left the colony: they all studied!
veniva fuori un mezzo intellettuale, perché studiavano capisci? -
Terracini was there, for example, and when it was time to eat
Terracini was there, for example, and when it was time to eat
Lì c’era per esempio Terracini, c’erano tutte le tavole da otto a mangiare nelle mense, una volta in una tavola -
– there were large tables for eight – he took that time to explain things to the others.
– there were large tables for eight – he took that time to explain things to the others.
loro non mangiavano mica, loro ti spiegavano quel che dovevano era il momento che lo potevano fare. -
It was mostly for this reason that they decided to close down the island of Ponza.
It was mostly for this reason that they decided to close down the island of Ponza.
Quella è stata la ragione per il 90% di chiudere l’isola di Ponza: -
Some were sent to Ventotene, others were transferred to Pisticci with us,
Some were sent to Ventotene, others were transferred to Pisticci with us,
ne hanno trasferiti una parte a Ventotene, una parte come l’onorevole Bigi, -
such as Bigi, the Member of Parliament, or Bonini.
such as Bigi, the Member of Parliament, or Bonini.
Bonini, sono venuti in colonia da noi a Pisticci. -
By the time I left the colony, there were almost three thousand people confined in Pisticci:
By the time I left the colony, there were almost three thousand people confined in Pisticci:
In quella colonia lì quando sono venuto via io c’erano quasi tremila confinati; -
not only political prisoners, but a bit of everything, including spies.
not only political prisoners, but a bit of everything, including spies.
dopo lì non c’erano politici ma di tutti i colori, c’erano poi le spie. -
For three years I drove a tractor.
For three years I drove a tractor.
Io ho adoperato lì per tre anni un trattore. -
We arrived at the offices of the colony, where we were divided in three sheds,
We arrived at the offices of the colony, where we were divided in three sheds,
Arriviamo alla direzione di questa colonia, poi ci mandano, c’era una baracca lì, -
since we were seventeen or eighteen.
since we were seventeen or eighteen.
eravamo 17 o 18 ci hanno messo in tre baracche. -
As I walked in, others were already inside.
As I walked in, others were already inside.
Quando sono andato dentro c’erano già degli altri che erano lì: -
I started to explain to them how we were lucky that the number of socialist countries was growing,
I started to explain to them how we were lucky that the number of socialist countries was growing,
“cari compagni, siamo fortunati che l’Unione Sovietica sta allargando i paesi del socialismo,