European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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And in fact in my mortal fight with the Germans (being mortal for them, not for me),
And in fact in my mortal fight with the Germans (being mortal for them, not for me),
infatti il mio scontro mortale (per loro, non per me) -
i called myself “Horace” because the Germans,
i called myself “Horace” because the Germans,
con i tedeschi mi chiamavo “Orazio”, perché i tedeschi, -
these gasoline-coloured men,
these gasoline-coloured men,
questi uomini del color di benzina, -
they had eyes of that colour
they had eyes of that colour
avevano gli occhi di quel colore lì, -
they seemed to be big warriors.
they seemed to be big warriors.
sembravano dei grandi guerrieri. -
Introduction and family
Introduction and family
Presentazione e famiglia -
My name is Ulisse Gilioli, I was born on May 26th, 1921
My name is Ulisse Gilioli, I was born on May 26th, 1921
Mi chiamo Ulisse Gilioli, sono nato il 26 maggio 1921 -
a in Montecavolo near Quattro Castella (in the province of Reggio Emilia).
a in Montecavolo near Quattro Castella (in the province of Reggio Emilia).
a Montecavolo di Quattro Castella. -
My family had been a miller family
My family had been a miller family
La mia famiglia era gente di mulino, -
for over 400 years.
for over 400 years.
erano dei mugnai da oltre 400 anni. -
In 1929 there was a terrible crisis and my father lost a great deal of money,
In 1929 there was a terrible crisis and my father lost a great deal of money,
Nel 1929 ci fu una crisi terribile e mio padre perse tanti di quei soldi… -
mostly because he was a great friend of the parson.
mostly because he was a great friend of the parson.
Soprattutto perché era molto amico del parroco -
He had 12 or 14 sharecroppers working for him, so he was really rich,
He had 12 or 14 sharecroppers working for him, so he was really rich,
che aveva 12 o 14, allora li chiamavamo “mezzadri”, quindi ricchissimo, -
and they could not pay him any longer
and they could not pay him any longer
che non potevano pagare però la roba -
with the stuff they used to bring to the mill.
with the stuff they used to bring to the mill.
che portavano al mulino o che venivano a prendere al mulino. -
“Keep calm, you'll see that one day god will ...”
“Keep calm, you'll see that one day god will ...”
“Ma porti pazienza, vedrai che verrà un giorno che Dio…” -
So they kept taking credits, but the day came when my father lost a lot of money.
So they kept taking credits, but the day came when my father lost a lot of money.
Insomma è venuto il giorno in cui mio padre ha perso tanti di quei soldi: -
That was when we split up. Me and my brother Portos were both students,
That was when we split up. Me and my brother Portos were both students,
allora ci dividemmo. Io studiavo, un altro mio fratello, “Portos”, studiava: -
so we went to Montecchio,
so we went to Montecchio,
così siamo andati a finire a Montecchio -
at Montecchio we owned a nice little house.
at Montecchio we owned a nice little house.
e a Montecchio avevamo una casetta anche buona