European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I, too, watched the children and tried to soothe them but I couldn’t calm them down. I was sure we’d meet our end.
I, too, watched the children and tried to soothe them but I couldn’t calm them down. I was sure we’d meet our end.
Anch'io ho guardato ai bambini e ho cercato di calmarli ma non ci sono riuscito. Ero sicuro che eravamo giunti alla fine. -
There I was, and looked straight in the Germans eyes. I showed him these children, indicated their sadness.
There I was, and looked straight in the Germans eyes. I showed him these children, indicated their sadness.
Ero lì e guardavo dritto negli occhi dei tedeschi. Gli ho mostrato questi bambini, gli ho indicato la loro tristezza. -
He left the window.
He left the window.
Ha lasciato la finestra. -
I thought he surely would come around and enter on the other side.
I thought he surely would come around and enter on the other side.
Pensavo che sarebbe sicuro tornato e sarebbe entrato dall'altra parte. -
Or that he had gone off to report to his unit to have them come and finish us off.
Or that he had gone off to report to his unit to have them come and finish us off.
O che era andato a fare rapporto alla sua unità per farli venire e finirci. -
But he never did show up, nor did any other Germans. The silence was deathlike.
But he never did show up, nor did any other Germans. The silence was deathlike.
Ma non si è mai fatto vivo, né altri tedeschi. Il silenzio era simile alla morte. -
A quarter of an hour later the Germans withdrew from the village and all the women came running, all the mothers.
A quarter of an hour later the Germans withdrew from the village and all the women came running, all the mothers.
Un quarto d'ora dopo i tedeschi si ritirarono dal villaggio e tutte le donne, tutte le madri accorsero. -
The horror that ruled is beyond words. The mothers were sure that we had all had been massacred in the school.
The horror that ruled is beyond words. The mothers were sure that we had all had been massacred in the school.
L'orrore che ha imperversato era oltre le parole. Le madri erano sicure che tutti noi nella scuola eravamo stati massacrati. -
They came in to find us alive and well.
They came in to find us alive and well.
Ma vennero per trovarci invece vivi e in salute. -
Apparently, that German took pity on those children. Earlier that morning the Germans had killed off the wounded.
Apparently, that German took pity on those children. Earlier that morning the Germans had killed off the wounded.
A quanto pare quel tedesco ebbe pietà di quei bambini. In quel mattino presto i tedeschi avevano ucciso i feriti. -
Having to massacre the children as well would have been, presumably, too much even for him.
Having to massacre the children as well would have been, presumably, too much even for him.
Dover massacrare anche i bambini, forse, sarebbe stato troppo anche per lui. -
So even among the enemy, wearing the SS insignia, there were some who were not brutal beasts.
So even among the enemy, wearing the SS insignia, there were some who were not brutal beasts.
Quindi anche tra i nemici, che indossavano le mostrine SS, c'erano alcuni che non erano bestie brutali. -
There were those who were just swept up into the current of the times and they killed merely because that’s how it was.
There were those who were just swept up into the current of the times and they killed merely because that’s how it was.
C'erano quelli che furono trascinati dalla corrente dei tempi e uccisero semplicemente perché era così. -
Activities in the partisan movement
Activities in the partisan movement
Attività nel movimento partigiano -
At the time and place, the frame of mind was perfectly idyllic:
At the time and place, the frame of mind was perfectly idyllic:
In quel momento e in quel luogo lo stato d'animo era perfettamente idilliaco: -
the responsibility, not only as one regards one’s own behavior, but also towards one’s comrades.
the responsibility, not only as one regards one’s own behavior, but also towards one’s comrades.
la responsabilità, non solo nei confronti del proprio comportamento, ma anche nei confronti dei propri compagni. -
If a comrade was wounded, you would rescue him.
If a comrade was wounded, you would rescue him.
Se un compagno era ferito, lo avresti soccorso. -
Even if he fell, you would rescue his body so that the enemy wouldn’t get him and desecrate his body.
Even if he fell, you would rescue his body so that the enemy wouldn’t get him and desecrate his body.
Anche se cadesse, prenderesti il suo corpo per non lasciarlo profanare dal nemico. -
It was a matter of honor; you would not hesitate to risk your own life.
It was a matter of honor; you would not hesitate to risk your own life.
Era una questione d'onore; non avresti esitato a rischiare la tua stessa vita. -
Once I dragged a fatally wounded comrade almost three kilometers.
Once I dragged a fatally wounded comrade almost three kilometers.
Una volta ho trascinato un compagno ferito a morte per quasi tre chilometri.