European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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there was supposed to be cabbage but were only dried stalks,
there was supposed to be cabbage but were only dried stalks,
le teste non c'erano più, solo i fusti, -
the ground was creaking and giving way under our feet.
the ground was creaking and giving way under our feet.
la terra si piegava sotto i nostri piedi come un materasso e qualcosa scricchiolava. -
Those were human bones,
Those were human bones,
Erano le ossa umane, -
it was the rest from the crematorium,
it was the rest from the crematorium,
era quello che rimaneva nei forni crematori -
everything from there was emptied out there and dug up and then they planted cabbage there.
everything from there was emptied out there and dug up and then they planted cabbage there.
e che veniva versato lì e scavato insieme al terreno, dove poi vennero piantati i cavoli. -
Then we came closer to the crematorium.
Then we came closer to the crematorium.
Poi ci avvicinammo ai quei forni crematori. -
There were parts of bodies, some of them prepared to be taken to the chamber.
There were parts of bodies, some of them prepared to be taken to the chamber.
In alcuni c'erano dei resti umani, davanti ad altri c'erano i corpi pronti per essere messi dentro. -
People were put in a row, gunshot in the back of the neck", the bodies were brown.
People were put in a row, gunshot in the back of the neck", the bodies were brown.
Le persone giacevano in fia, un colpo nella nuca. I corpi erano marroni. -
They did not look horrible, they were brown,
They did not look horrible, they were brown,
Non avevano un aspetto orribile, erano marroni. -
the smell was disgusting, it was such a hot day, August, in the middle of August in 1944.
the smell was disgusting, it was such a hot day, August, in the middle of August in 1944.
L'odore era tremendo, era una giornata molto calda, era metà agosto del 1944. -
We always had a scarf on our head to cover our hair and protect it from the smell,
We always had a scarf on our head to cover our hair and protect it from the smell,
Avevamo sempre un foulard in testa per evitare che i capelli assorbissero quell'odore. -
the smell which was in Majdanek. After coming back from Majdanek we put our clothes onto the balcony.
the smell which was in Majdanek. After coming back from Majdanek we put our clothes onto the balcony.
Quando tornavamo da Majdanek a Lublino, appendevamo i nostri vestiti fuori sul balcone. -
We lived in barracks, men together with women.
We lived in barracks, men together with women.
C'erano giusto i balconi in quelle barracche in cui stavamo. Era un kolchoz. Uomini, donne - tutti dormivamo nelle stesse stanze. -
Then we saw loads of shoes taken from the people who were going to die.
Then we saw loads of shoes taken from the people who were going to die.
Dopo guardavamo i mucchi di scarpe tolte dalle persone destinate alla morte. -
Little children’s shoes, male and female shoes, some clothes, and we had to write down everything.
Little children’s shoes, male and female shoes, some clothes, and we had to write down everything.
Scarpe dei bambini, scarpe da uomo, da donna, dei vestiti, dovevamo annotare tutto. -
Then we finished going to Majdanek and two or three times went to some forest,
Then we finished going to Majdanek and two or three times went to some forest,
Poi smettemmo di andare a Majdanek e due o tre volte andammo in una foresta, -
I do not remember the name of it,
I do not remember the name of it,
di cui non ricordo il nome, -
but we went to a forest where people were murdered.
but we went to a forest where people were murdered.
dove vennero uccise delle persone. -
They were thrown down into a big ditch and were buried in the way they had fallen down.
They were thrown down into a big ditch and were buried in the way they had fallen down.
Venivano buttate in un grande fosso e sepolte così, com'erano cadute. -
When one of those ditches were dug up,
When one of those ditches were dug up,
Quando uno di questi fossi venne scavato,