European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Family, social and political context
Family, social and political context
Famiglia, contesto sociale e politico -
My name is Giacomina Castagnetti.
My name is Giacomina Castagnetti.
Io mi chiamo Giacomina Castagnetti. -
I always accept when I’m asked to talk about my life.
I always accept when I’m asked to talk about my life.
Accetto sempre volentieri quando mi chiedono di raccontare la mia storia -
Not because I think it's very important, or interesting, or even unique, but because I’ve lived
Not because I think it's very important, or interesting, or even unique, but because I’ve lived
non perché sia molto importante o interessante o particolare, ma solo perché ho vissuto -
through the darkest times of Italy’s history,
through the darkest times of Italy’s history,
nel periodo più buio della storia di Italia, cioè nel periodo della dittatura fascista e della Seconda Guerra Mondiale. -
I was born in 1925, in Roncolo di Quattro Castella, in a large family of sharecroppers.
I was born in 1925, in Roncolo di Quattro Castella, in a large family of sharecroppers.
Sono nata in una famiglia numerosa di mezzadri a Roncolo di Quattro Castella. Sono nata nel 1925. -
I was the youngest in the family, coming after six brothers and a sister.
I was the youngest in the family, coming after six brothers and a sister.
Ero l’ultima di sette fratelli, quindi io ero l’ottava, sei maschi e due femmine. -
I was born three months after my father died. My mother was left a widow with eight children.
I was born three months after my father died. My mother was left a widow with eight children.
Sono nata nel momento che mio padre era morto da tre mesi, quindi mia madre vedova con otto figli. -
We have always been a very close-knit family.
We have always been a very close-knit family.
Siamo stati sempre una famiglia molto unita. -
As a woman, the law didn’t allow my mother to be the head of the family.
As a woman, the law didn’t allow my mother to be the head of the family.
Mia madre solo perché era una donna non poteva essere capofamiglia, -
So she couldn’t hold parental authority over the children.
So she couldn’t hold parental authority over the children.
quindi non poteva avere la patria potestà sui figli. -
The court appointed a guardian who had to keep control over a poor sharecropping family like ours.
The court appointed a guardian who had to keep control over a poor sharecropping family like ours.
Il tribunale ci aveva assegnato un tutore che doveva controllare le miserie di una famiglia mezzadra, -
He came to our home to count how many forks and spoons we had, the furniture and everything else.
He came to our home to count how many forks and spoons we had, the furniture and everything else.
quindi era venuto a contare quante forchette c’erano in casa, i cucchiai, i mobili, tutto quanto -
He was to make sure that this fortune remained untouched for us children until we came of age.
He was to make sure that this fortune remained untouched for us children until we came of age.
perché dato che eravamo minorenni dovevano controllare che questo patrimonio rimanesse intatto. -
I started going to school in Roncolo.
I started going to school in Roncolo.
Ho incominciato la scuola a Roncolo e solo perché era una scuola -
It only offered courses up to the third grade.
It only offered courses up to the third grade.
in una zona agricola c’era solo fino alla terza elementare. -
I began to attend school with clogs on my feet, a cloth sack, two notebooks -
I began to attend school with clogs on my feet, a cloth sack, two notebooks -
Quindi, in questa scuola io ho incominciato ad andarci con gli zoccoli ai piedi, con una borsa di tela e due quaderni: -
one ruled and one squared – and a spelling-book
one ruled and one squared – and a spelling-book
uno a righe e uno a quadretti, un pennino a forma di manina e un sillabario -
which had been passed on by all my brothers before I got it.
which had been passed on by all my brothers before I got it.
molto molto consumato perché era passato da tutti i miei fratelli ed era arrivato fino a me. -
At school there was a large banner that had been badly painted, that said:
At school there was a large banner that had been badly painted, that said:
Nella scuola c’era un grande striscione che era stato pitturato malamente dagli alunni che mi avevano preceduta, con la scritta