European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Mussolini used to say that not one crumb of bread was to be wasted,
Mussolini used to say that not one crumb of bread was to be wasted,
Infatti, il duce diceva che nessuna briciola di pane doveva essere sprecata -
as it could serve a soldier in Africa.
as it could serve a soldier in Africa.
perché poteva servire ad un soldato, in Africa. -
I was hearing different stories from my brothers and their friends. I looked at my brothers a lot since my father had died.
I was hearing different stories from my brothers and their friends. I looked at my brothers a lot since my father had died.
Io sentivo dei discorsi diversi perché essendo con i miei fratelli, per cui avevo una grande ammirazione perché non avendo il papà erano il mio punto di riferimento, e gli amici che venivano da mio fratello. Io non sapevo il perché ci fossero tanti giovani che venivano lì, -
I remember what Strozzi said.
I remember what Strozzi said.
mi ricordo solo quello che disse Strozzi, -
He was very young, a neighbour of ours who later became the vice-president of the Riunite dairy.
He was very young, a neighbour of ours who later became the vice-president of the Riunite dairy.
che era un nostro quasi vicino di casa, che dopo diventò il vicepresidente delle Latterie Riunite, che era giovanissimo e disse, -
Referring to what Mussolini had said about farmers,
Referring to what Mussolini had said about farmers,
poiché il duce diceva che i contadini avevano bisogno -
that they needed to go to war, in order to create an empire and conquer new land to work,
that they needed to go to war, in order to create an empire and conquer new land to work,
di fare la guerra, di avere un impero, perché avrebbero avuto un’espansione e di lavorare, -
I remember Strozzi saying: “War has never brought anything good for the poor”.
I remember Strozzi saying: “War has never brought anything good for the poor”.
lui invece disse in una frase che ricordo perfettamente: “La guerra per la povera gente non ha mai portato niente di buono”. -
Around the same time, the landlord invited all the farmers to go over to her house
Around the same time, the landlord invited all the farmers to go over to her house
Nel mentre la padrona invitò tutti i contadini ad andare ad ascoltare -
and listen to Mussolini’s speech about the beginning of the war in Africa.
and listen to Mussolini’s speech about the beginning of the war in Africa.
i discorsi del duce quando annunciò che sarebbero andati a conquistare “l’impero”. -
My mother and I went in front of the landlord’s living room.
My mother and I went in front of the landlord’s living room.
Mia madre mi prese per mano e mi portò davanti al salotto buono della contessa, -
We couldn’t go inside the house in order not to dirty it.
We couldn’t go inside the house in order not to dirty it.
perché in casa non si poteva andare per il fatto che si sporcava, -
My mother had been told to call the farmers to listen to the Duce.
My mother had been told to call the farmers to listen to the Duce.
ma lei aveva avuto l’obbligo di invitare i contadini ad ascoltare il duce. -
I was very happy. I was going to do something different and listen to a new thing.
I was very happy. I was going to do something different and listen to a new thing.
Io andai ed ero tutta felice perché andavo a fare e a sentire una cosa nuova. -
When I heard the radio I was dazed since I couldn’t understand where that deep voice was coming from.
When I heard the radio I was dazed since I couldn’t understand where that deep voice was coming from.
Quando sentii la radio per me fu una rivelazione perché non capivo questa voce così roboante da dove venisse. -
I didn’t understand what the voice was saying
I didn’t understand what the voice was saying
Non capivo neanche, naturalmente, le parole che diceva -
and the meaning behind those words, unlike my mother.
and the meaning behind those words, unlike my mother.
e il significato particolarmente di queste parole, a differenza di mia madre. -
I realized it had to be something terrible when I saw my mother crying on our way back home.
I realized it had to be something terrible when I saw my mother crying on our way back home.
Infatti capii la gravità del discorso del duce quando tornando a casa mia madre aveva le lacrime agli occhi -
She was thinking about her six boys, who all were almost old enough to be enlisted for war.
She was thinking about her six boys, who all were almost old enough to be enlisted for war.
perché pensava che aveva sei figli maschi, e quasi tutti erano in grado di essere richiamati per andare a fare la guerra. -
From that moment I wasn’t happy having listened to the radio.
From that moment I wasn’t happy having listened to the radio.
E da quel momento non fui più felice di aver sentito la radio.