European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
la guerra quanto durerà?” - “un mese o due mesi” gli rispondevamo, -
but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
loro hanno detto “durerà ancora due anni” e ci hanno preso loro, due anni è durata. -
There were women who had to work on the railroad with shovels and pickaxes.
There were women who had to work on the railroad with shovels and pickaxes.
Una donna, magari anche incinta, a lavorare con pale e picconi sulla ferrovia, -
Sometimes they were even pregnant, and trust me, that’s hard work.
Sometimes they were even pregnant, and trust me, that’s hard work.
guarda che sono lavori pesanti quelli lì. -
They didn’t do a headcount at night,
They didn’t do a headcount at night,
Là non è che controllassero se ne erano morti dieci, -
to see who was back and who wasn’t, they didn’t care if ten of us had died during the day.
to see who was back and who wasn’t, they didn’t care if ten of us had died during the day.
non è che alla sera facessero l’appello per vedere chi c’era e chi no, a loro non interessava, -
Similarly, they did not expect us to work too hard, but we had to be at work every day.
Similarly, they did not expect us to work too hard, but we had to be at work every day.
anche come lavorare, non è che te sul lavoro dovessi dare tutto, tu dovevi essere sul lavoro però. -
In my camp, after we woke up at five,
In my camp, after we woke up at five,
Al mattino quando facevano la sveglia alle 5, al mio campo, -
we were supposed to get up and leave with the others,
we were supposed to get up and leave with the others,
ti dovevi alzare e andare via con gli altri, -
but after that there was no control on what we did during the day.
but after that there was no control on what we did during the day.
poi dopo quello che facevi durante la giornata tanto non è che potessi andare da qualche parte, -
And in any case, there was nowhere we could go.
And in any case, there was nowhere we could go.
non c’era un controllo; -
You were simply expected to be at work, even if you didn’t do anything all day.
You were simply expected to be at work, even if you didn’t do anything all day.
a lavorare anche che tu non avessi fatto niente tutto il giorno però dovevi stare lì sul lavoro. -
It was very cold where we were.
It was very cold where we were.
Erano zone dove c’era molto freddo, -
There were Russian women, as well as some men.
There were Russian women, as well as some men.
con delle donne sovietiche ma anche dei maschi. -
The harsh life of the camp
The harsh life of the camp
La dura vita nel campo -
All they gave us to eat was one of those tall loaves of dark bread.
All they gave us to eat was one of those tall loaves of dark bread.
Là da mangiare ti davano un pane, uno di quei pani neri alti, -
It was a large loaf, but you had to split it in five pieces.
It was a large loaf, but you had to split it in five pieces.
quei panoni così però li dovevi dividere in cinque, -
That’s all you got until evening. Then at night we were given some slop, but no more bread.
That’s all you got until evening. Then at night we were given some slop, but no more bread.
ti toccava una fetta e fino a sera non ti davano niente, ti davano quella sbrodaglia lì ma il pane era solo quello. -
That piece of bread was like gold for me: I used to eat it bit by bit, in order to savor it.
That piece of bread was like gold for me: I used to eat it bit by bit, in order to savor it.
Era un tesoro, ne mangiavo un pezzettino per volta per assaggiare un po’ di pane, -
We were terribly hungry and in the winter, when we went to work in Hagen, it was freezing:
We were terribly hungry and in the winter, when we went to work in Hagen, it was freezing:
la fame era tremenda e quando andavamo a lavorare ad Hagen d’inverno c’era un freddo da morire,