European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
I’ve been afraid one night because I had never heard this German machine gun shoot,
I’ve been afraid one night because I had never heard this German machine gun shoot,
Ho avuto paura una sera perché non avevo mai sentito sparare questa mitraglia tedesca, -
they called it “raganella” (tree frog): it could shoot so fast, so many bullets.
they called it “raganella” (tree frog): it could shoot so fast, so many bullets.
la raganella la chiamavano, una mitraglia che sparava moltissimo, molti proiettili. -
That was really the only time my heart was pounding.
That was really the only time my heart was pounding.
Proprio credo che sia l’unica sera che proprio sentivo il cuore che saltava. -
Later I realized it was quite distant, but at the moment I thought it was there, a few steps away,
Later I realized it was quite distant, but at the moment I thought it was there, a few steps away,
Perché dopo ho capito che era lontana, però mi sembrava lì, a pochi passi insomma, -
this nasty sound in the silence of the night.
this nasty sound in the silence of the night.
no, proprio questo rumore cattivo di notte, nel silenzio. -
I felt fear that night, at least for a short time.
I felt fear that night, at least for a short time.
E quella sera lì ho avuto un po’ paura, per un po’ insomma. -
Massacre at Bettola, June 1944
Massacre at Bettola, June 1944
Eccidio alla Bettola, giugno 1944 -
Then there was this episode in La Bettola.
Then there was this episode in La Bettola.
Avvenne questo fatto della Bettola, -
It was a shocking event for our province.
It was a shocking event for our province.
che fu una cosa traumatica per la nostra provincia insomma. -
They had killed many people before, even elderly people, but always adults.
They had killed many people before, even elderly people, but always adults.
Perché lì avevano ucciso in gran parte delle persone, anche anziane, comunque adulte. -
This time however they made fun of those who were dead, and also killed some children.
This time however they made fun of those who were dead, and also killed some children.
Qui invece fecero scherno dei morti, e poi uccisero dei bambini insomma, -
Everybody started to become conscious that it was “time to get rid of them”.
Everybody started to become conscious that it was “time to get rid of them”.
e allora era proprio nata la coscienza di dire: “Con questi qua bisogna farla finita”. -
A really large group of people took up arms against them.
A really large group of people took up arms against them.
E ci fu una bella leva che prese le armi. -
1940 beginning of the war; 1943 Mussolini arrested
1940 beginning of the war; 1943 Mussolini arrested
1940 inizio della guerra, 1943 dopo l’arresto di Mussolini -
They took us to Busana as there was a radio there, and I remember that
They took us to Busana as there was a radio there, and I remember that
Siccome a Busana c’era una radio, ci portarono a Busana e mi ricordo che -
we listened to Mussolini’s speech from Palazzo Venezia.
we listened to Mussolini’s speech from Palazzo Venezia.
ascoltammo il discorso del duce da Palazzo Venezia. -
Afterwards I saw it on TV over and over, that big head at the window, on that balcony in Palazzo Venezia…
Afterwards I saw it on TV over and over, that big head at the window, on that balcony in Palazzo Venezia…
Che poi l'ho rivisto mille volte alla televisione, quel testone alla finestra, al balconcino lassù, dal balcone a Palazzo Venezia... -
and everybody clapping below.
and everybody clapping below.
che poi c’era la gente che applaudiva sotto insomma. -
I thought that the war had started. You didn’t contemplate things too much at that age.
I thought that the war had started. You didn’t contemplate things too much at that age.
E tu cosa pensasti? Eh, pensavo… pensavo che è scoppiata la guerra… non è che facevi molte considerazioni a quell'età lì ecco. -
That was June 1940, I was thirteen and a half, so what can you be concerned about?
That was June 1940, I was thirteen and a half, so what can you be concerned about?
Quanti anni avevi? Avevo, è successo nel giugno del '40, perciò avevo 13 anni e mezzo insomma, perciò che considerazione puoi fare?