European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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They left some guards, but we were free to go wherever we wanted.
They left some guards, but we were free to go wherever we wanted.
sono rimaste le loro guardie ma noi andavano dove volevamo; -
Two of us were butchers – one of them was from Ravenna, his name was Belloni.
Two of us were butchers – one of them was from Ravenna, his name was Belloni.
avevamo due ragazzi, un certo Belloni si chiamava, di Ravenna che facevano i macellai, -
They began to find calves - I’m not joking! - then slaughtered them
They began to find calves - I’m not joking! - then slaughtered them
allora hanno cominciato a trovare dei vitelli, non è mica una balla, poi li ammazzavano -
and put the meat in those beer barrels that you can find in Germany.
and put the meat in those beer barrels that you can find in Germany.
e li mettevano, sai che loro hanno quei barili della birra, lì dentro al fresco. -
We had fresh meat after 15 or 20 days,
We had fresh meat after 15 or 20 days,
Dopo 15 o 20 giorni avevamo la carne fresca, -
and every night they would go out to find something,
and every night they would go out to find something,
loro tutte le notti andavano a trovare qualcosa, -
so we were finally ok concerning food.
so we were finally ok concerning food.
dopo ci eravamo messi a posto con il mangiare. -
Three days without bread
Three days without bread
Tre giorni senza pane -
Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Qualcuno degli interpreti anche italiani -
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
te lo spiegavano anche loro che c’è una possibilità che Mussolini e Hitler -
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
hanno deciso che gli italiani non devono essere prigionieri in questa nazione -
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
i famosi IMI, cioè sulla divisa che avevi -
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
ci doveva esser scritto IMI (Internati Militari Italiani). -
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Noi, a cominciare da me, due marescialli della finanza sardagnoli, cioè in quattro o cinque, -
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
nel mio campo c’erano in 550, siamo riusciti a non far firmare nessuno, -
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
perché mentre loro dicevano “vi mandiamo in Italia -
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
e poi lì c’è la Monte Rosa che vi aspetta”, -
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
noi la Monte Rosa immaginavamo ma non sapevamo che cos’era, -
but this is what we would tell them:
but this is what we would tell them:
sai cosa gli dicevamo noi? -
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Non firmiamo ragazzi perché sul fronte russo ci mancano le forze, mancano i soldati, loro ci mandano sul fronte russo!”.