European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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At Christmas 1944 we collected biscuits, sweets and cakes.
At Christmas 1944 we collected biscuits, sweets and cakes.
Nel Natale del ’44 è stata la più grande raccolta di biscottini, di dolci, di torte -
I stored some at my house, since I was the one in charge and I preferred to keep dangerous things at my place.
I stored some at my house, since I was the one in charge and I preferred to keep dangerous things at my place.
e di tutto che una parte venne portata a casa mia perché io facevo capo alla zona che dicevo prima, io ero la responsabile, quindi il rischio -
Participation in that case was really huge. From that moment Women support groups became a much larger organization,
Participation in that case was really huge. From that moment Women support groups became a much larger organization,
preferivo portarlo a casa mia piuttosto che nelle altre case. Fu tanto grande l’adesione. Perché dopo i gruppi di difesa della donna diventarono -
compared to the three or four antifascist women we were before.
compared to the three or four antifascist women we were before.
veramente una organizzazione di massa non erano più quelle tre o quattro antifasciste come ero io… -
Women were sensational. I found myself with a pile of cases full of stuff.
Women were sensational. I found myself with a pile of cases full of stuff.
Le donne hanno fatto miracoli. Mi sono trovata montagne di cassette piene di roba. -
Then Valenti, a guy from Arceto, came over with his cart. He was the father of the one they called “Valenti the bandit”.
Then Valenti, a guy from Arceto, came over with his cart. He was the father of the one they called “Valenti the bandit”.
Venne un birozzaio di Arceto che si chiamava Valenti ed era il papà di quello che chiamavano il Bandito Valenti, -
He wanted to make amends for his son. He came to my house at dawn and we loaded everything.
He wanted to make amends for his son. He came to my house at dawn and we loaded everything.
che però lui voleva riscattare il figlio e così via. Venne a casa mia all’alba, caricammo questa montagna di biscotti e di tutto, -
Women had prepared things that would last. We attached many Christmas cards to them.
Women had prepared things that would last. We attached many Christmas cards to them.
si faceva tutte delle cose che potessero durare, e mandammo con tanti bigliettini, -
Each woman wanted to send out a short note to the partisans.
Each woman wanted to send out a short note to the partisans.
ogni donna voleva mandare un messaggio ai partigiani, anche ragazzi che non si conosceva. -
We wanted to show them that we were close,
We wanted to show them that we were close,
Volevamo dimostrare che c’eravamo che eravamo vicino -
so that they wouldn’t suffer so much from being away from their families.
so that they wouldn’t suffer so much from being away from their families.
e che il giorno di Natale anche per loro fosse meno pesante per il distacco della famiglia. -
We felt that women were silently behind us in our struggle for peace,
We felt that women were silently behind us in our struggle for peace,
Ci sentivamo alle spalle questa adesione silenziosa delle donne per la grande volontà di pace -
waiting for the war to be over, so it wasn’t hard.
waiting for the war to be over, so it wasn’t hard.
e che finisse la guerra quindi non fu difficile. -
We shared the tasks house by house.
We shared the tasks house by house.
Andammo, ci distribuivamo poi il compito casa per casa. -
It was decided we would pass the word house by house and in small groups.
It was decided we would pass the word house by house and in small groups.
Si doveva passare parola casa per casa e alla spicciolata, era la parola d’ordine. -
We had to reach the Reggio Emilia prefecture, in corso Garibaldi,
We had to reach the Reggio Emilia prefecture, in corso Garibaldi,
Il punto di arrivo era la prefettura qui a Reggio in Corso Garibaldi. -
all together at 2 pm, but each had to move alone.
all together at 2 pm, but each had to move alone.
Ci dovevamo trovare lì alle due del pomeriggio tutte insieme, però ognuna doveva partire per conto suo. -
This meant you had to be really committed.
This meant you had to be really committed.
Quindi anche qui ci voleva molta convinzione, -
It wasn’t an everyday thing for a mother living 10 km away to take her bicycle and go in front of the prefecture.
It wasn’t an everyday thing for a mother living 10 km away to take her bicycle and go in front of the prefecture.
perché una mamma per esempio a 10 Km, dire parto in bicicletta e vado davanti alla prefettura… -
But people were really starving and tired of the war, and there had been too many people dying.
But people were really starving and tired of the war, and there had been too many people dying.
però l’atmosfera oramai c’era perché la gente era affamata, nelle case avevano già molti morti e così via.