European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We wore wooden shoes that could easily be lost while walking down the three steps that led to each shack.
We wore wooden shoes that could easily be lost while walking down the three steps that led to each shack.
Avevi gli zoccolo di legno, magari li perdevi giù per la scala, c’erano sempre tre gradini in tutte le baracche, -
Then they would have us walk in circles for hours, sometimes under the rain.
Then they would have us walk in circles for hours, sometimes under the rain.
poi stavano delle ore a farti girare, delle volte pioveva anche; -
Episodes of this kind were not too frequent, but definitely happened.
Episodes of this kind were not too frequent, but definitely happened.
io dico che è successo poche volte però sono successe anche queste cose. -
I was arrested, or, I should rather say, we were loaded on their trains on the 16th of September,
I was arrested, or, I should rather say, we were loaded on their trains on the 16th of September,
Io sono stato arrestato, cioè ci hanno caricati loro sui treni il 16 settembre -
and made it home only two years later, on the 14th of September.
and made it home only two years later, on the 14th of September.
e sono tornato a casa dopo due anni il 14 settembre, -
We were near the Ruhr area, where most armament factories were located,
We were near the Ruhr area, where most armament factories were located,
perché noi essendo in quella zona della Ruhr, le fabbriche di guerra erano tutte lì: -
including the tank factories that the Americans used to attack with special bombs, in order to breach them.
including the tank factories that the Americans used to attack with special bombs, in order to breach them.
c’erano quelle fabbriche dei carroarmati che gli americani per andarci dentro usavano quelle famose bombe a grappolo, -
We were bombarded every night, so I didn’t even think of running away,
We were bombarded every night, so I didn’t even think of running away,
bombardavano tutte le notti, io non scappavo neanche più -
because it would have meant running under these same bombs.
because it would have meant running under these same bombs.
perché quelli che scappavano correvano sotto alle bombe. -
That’s what we went through.
That’s what we went through.
Noi abbiamo fatto quella trafila lì. -
Four years of confinement in Matera
Four years of confinement in Matera
Quattro anni di confino a Matera -
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