European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
know how to mend your husband’s pants and how to make socks for him.
know how to mend your husband’s pants and how to make socks for him.
dovevi solo saper rammendare, saper fare le calze per tuo marito e rattoppare i pantaloni, fare tutte queste cose. -
That was the current opinion at the time.
That was the current opinion at the time.
Questa era l’idea corrente. -
As I finished school I started to work in the fields.
As I finished school I started to work in the fields.
Io fatta la terza elementare cominciai ad andare a lavorare in campagna -
In the winter, when it was snowing, I would go to the nuns to learn how to sew and patch.
In the winter, when it was snowing, I would go to the nuns to learn how to sew and patch.
e in inverno quando c’era la neve a piedi andavo dalle suore per imparare a cucire, rattoppare, -
They wouldn’t teach us embroidering: that was something for the children of the wealthy.
They wouldn’t teach us embroidering: that was something for the children of the wealthy.
non dico ricamare perché non ti insegnavano a ricamare come facevano le figlie dei ricchi, -
We simply learned to darn clothes, to put patches on the knees
We simply learned to darn clothes, to put patches on the knees
no, noi imparavamo a rammendare e a mettere le toppe nelle ginocchia -
or on the bottom of the trousers, and so on.
or on the bottom of the trousers, and so on.
e nel sedere dei pantaloni e così via. -
Family, social and political context
Family, social and political context
Famiglia, contesto sociale e politico -
My name is Giacomina Castagnetti.
My name is Giacomina Castagnetti.
Io mi chiamo Giacomina Castagnetti. -
I always accept when I’m asked to talk about my life.
I always accept when I’m asked to talk about my life.
Accetto sempre volentieri quando mi chiedono di raccontare la mia storia -
Not because I think it's very important, or interesting, or even unique, but because I’ve lived
Not because I think it's very important, or interesting, or even unique, but because I’ve lived
non perché sia molto importante o interessante o particolare, ma solo perché ho vissuto -
through the darkest times of Italy’s history,
through the darkest times of Italy’s history,
nel periodo più buio della storia di Italia, cioè nel periodo della dittatura fascista e della Seconda Guerra Mondiale. -
I was born in 1925, in Roncolo di Quattro Castella, in a large family of sharecroppers.
I was born in 1925, in Roncolo di Quattro Castella, in a large family of sharecroppers.
Sono nata in una famiglia numerosa di mezzadri a Roncolo di Quattro Castella. Sono nata nel 1925. -
I was the youngest in the family, coming after six brothers and a sister.
I was the youngest in the family, coming after six brothers and a sister.
Ero l’ultima di sette fratelli, quindi io ero l’ottava, sei maschi e due femmine. -
I was born three months after my father died. My mother was left a widow with eight children.
I was born three months after my father died. My mother was left a widow with eight children.
Sono nata nel momento che mio padre era morto da tre mesi, quindi mia madre vedova con otto figli. -
We have always been a very close-knit family.
We have always been a very close-knit family.
Siamo stati sempre una famiglia molto unita. -
As a woman, the law didn’t allow my mother to be the head of the family.
As a woman, the law didn’t allow my mother to be the head of the family.
Mia madre solo perché era una donna non poteva essere capofamiglia, -
So she couldn’t hold parental authority over the children.
So she couldn’t hold parental authority over the children.
quindi non poteva avere la patria potestà sui figli. -
The court appointed a guardian who had to keep control over a poor sharecropping family like ours.
The court appointed a guardian who had to keep control over a poor sharecropping family like ours.
Il tribunale ci aveva assegnato un tutore che doveva controllare le miserie di una famiglia mezzadra, -
He came to our home to count how many forks and spoons we had, the furniture and everything else.
He came to our home to count how many forks and spoons we had, the furniture and everything else.
quindi era venuto a contare quante forchette c’erano in casa, i cucchiai, i mobili, tutto quanto