European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
Decision to resist
Decision to resist
Decisione di resistere -
Torelli was an old antifascist living in our house. He was persecuted and had been in jail.
Torelli was an old antifascist living in our house. He was persecuted and had been in jail.
Allora Torelli, che era un vecchio antifascista, era perseguitato, aveva fatto il carcere ecc., ed abitava in casa mia… -
One day he told me he wanted to talk to me.
One day he told me he wanted to talk to me.
viene, mi dice: “Veh Anita, devo dirti alcune cose”. -
“The things you’re doing are very important; we were quite surprised by you”.
“The things you’re doing are very important; we were quite surprised by you”.
Dice: “Quello che state facendo – perché lo facevo io, Maria Montanari, mia cugina, sai cioè poi eravamo poi anche in un gruppo di amiche -
He was referring to what I had been doing with Maria Montanari and my cousin.
He was referring to what I had been doing with Maria Montanari and my cousin.
abbastanza forti, abbastanza combattive, ecc… eravamo amiche ma avevamo le stesse idee, -
We were in a strong and combative group of friends, who shared the same ideals, the same feelings towards life.
We were in a strong and combative group of friends, who shared the same ideals, the same feelings towards life.
lo stesso modo di concepire la vita… e dice – Quello che avete fatto fino adesso è molto importante, che c’avete anche sorpreso”. -
The Germans had already officially announced that those who helped soldiers
The Germans had already officially announced that those who helped soldiers
Perché già era uscito il proclama dei tedeschi che diceva che chi aiutava i renitenti alla leva -
and dodgers to escape would be sentenced to confinement in concentration camps or executed.
and dodgers to escape would be sentenced to confinement in concentration camps or executed.
e i soldati a scappare, venivano condannati: campo di concentramento o fucilazione. -
What we were facing wasn’t a joke.
What we were facing wasn’t a joke.
Cioè non era, capisci, una punizione blanda quella che ti promettevano. -
Torelli went on: “You must try to keep everything that a clandestine army might need,
Torelli went on: “You must try to keep everything that a clandestine army might need,
Dice: “Voi dovete cercare di portare fuori tutto quello che può servire a un esercito clandestino, perché la nostra intenzione è di mobilitarci come popolazione, -
because we want to get people to fight to send away the Germans and the fascists”.
because we want to get people to fight to send away the Germans and the fascists”.
cioè di mobilitare la popolazione a combattere e a scacciare i tedeschi e i fascisti che stanno rialzando la testa, di scacciarli e di mandarli fuori dall’Italia”. -
We started to take things out.
We started to take things out.
Per cui abbiamo cominciato a portare fuori la roba, -
Before I talk about this, I will tell an episode which was really crucial
Before I talk about this, I will tell an episode which was really crucial
però prima di dirvi come portavamo fuori la roba, vorrei dirvi un fatto che è avvenuto che per me è stato direi l’elemento determinante -
for my decision to go on and take part in the Liberation struggle.
for my decision to go on and take part in the Liberation struggle.
nella scelta di continuare questo lavoro e di partecipare alla guerra di liberazione. -
Three or four days after September 8th, the air-raid warning went off.
Three or four days after September 8th, the air-raid warning went off.
Io… suona l’allarme, ma 3 o 4 giorni dopo l’8 settembre, suona l’allarme… -
We fled on our bicycles.
We fled on our bicycles.
scappiamo in bicicletta. -
After a while we went back home, since we didn’t hear anything and the warning had stopped.
After a while we went back home, since we didn’t hear anything and the warning had stopped.
Dopo un po’, cessato… non si sente niente, torniamo a casa, cessa anche l’allarme e torniamo a casa. -
As I arrived at the beginning of Dalmazia street, as we always fled towards Codemondo or the Canalina,
As I arrived at the beginning of Dalmazia street, as we always fled towards Codemondo or the Canalina,
Come arrivo in via Dalmazia, all’inizio, perché scappavamo sempre verso Codemondo o verso la Canalina... quando arrivo all’inizio -
the SS were standing in front of the houses.
the SS were standing in front of the houses.
di via Dalmazia dove abito io, c’è tutta l’SS che piantona le case. -
In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
Io arrivo davanti a casa mia, volto, sono in bicicletta, volto... però davanti a casa mia c’era una... lo chiamavamo “la Reggia”