European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
They would let us in. We’d arrive at different times.
Ci ricevevano. Noi arrivavamo, chi a un'ora chi a un'altra. Sempre a orari diversi. -
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
But then there was also the need to hide the material, the mimeograph, the typewriter etc…
Dovevamo anche nascondere il materiale di cui avevamo bisogno, ovvero il ciclostile, la macchina da scrivere, ecc. -
We had to be careful with all of that.
We had to be careful with all of that.
Bisognava starci molto attenti. -
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
There were various newspaper publications in the Rouen region,
C'era grande prudenza, che s'instaurava leggendo quello che scrivevano… -
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
talking about the number of political activists being arrested. One had to be very careful.
«Arrestati questi e quei militanti…" stava scritto nei giornali della regione di Rouen. Bisognava stare attenti. -
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
We had a certain amount of support in the population.
Avevamo un discreto sostegno da parte della popolazione. C'era gente che diceva -
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
Some people said we shouldn’t do that, or when we were arrested, they’d say:
che queste cose non andavano fatte. Ma c'era anche gente che ci sosteneva. -
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
“They shouldn’t have done that”, but others did support us, some of them very quietly because they were afraid.
Lo facevano sommessamente, perché avevano paura. -
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
If the police detected a connection between a person and well-known political activist, you could be arrested.
Se le polizia scopriva legami con militanti noti, si potevano avere problemi o
farsi arrestare. -
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
Sia noi che le persone a cui davamo il materiale rischiavamo di essere catturati dalla polizia. Era molto difficile. -
First political engagements
First political engagements
Gli inizi dell'impegno politico -
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
Ho iniziato a lavorare in fabbrica nel 1934/1935. E poi ci sono state le grandi giornate del 1936. -
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
È lì che sono entrato nel movimento operaio. Ho partecipato agli scioperi del 1936. Avevo 16 e lavoravo in fabbrica. -
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Nel 1937/1938 sono entrato nella Gioventù Comunista, -
There you could fight for your demands.
There you could fight for your demands.
che ci permetteva di combattere per le nostre rivendicazioni. -
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
Avevo dei compagni che mi chiedevano: “Perché non entri nella Gioventù Comunista?” E così l'ho fatto. -
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Nel '36 partecipavamo alle attività sindacali e alle manifestazioni. Così sono entrato nella Gioventù Comunista. -
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
Questo ha cambiato le cose, dovevamo prendere degli accorgimenti per nasconderci, in una sorta di clandestinità. -
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
L'interdizione del Partito Comunista e della Gioventù Comunista avevano fatto scalpore. -
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
E mio padre, che era un po' anarchico, mi ha detto: