European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
When I led my battalion it was eight to ten of us
When I led my battalion it was eight to ten of us
Quando avevo il comando del battaglione eravamo in otto-dieci, -
and everyone had to do surveillance, in groups of two. I did my shift alone,
and everyone had to do surveillance, in groups of two. I did my shift alone,
facevano la guardia tutti gli altri a due a due io la facevo da solo -
three hours there in a hiding place, in the shadows, with eyes wide open.
three hours there in a hiding place, in the shadows, with eyes wide open.
ma tre ore in un’ombra, un cantuccio lì, con gli occhi aperti così. -
If you don't keep your eyes open during the surveillance shift you're in big trouble.
If you don't keep your eyes open during the surveillance shift you're in big trouble.
Mi capisci perché dormite bene ma se tu non fai la guardia sei fritto! -
The colour of the unit
The colour of the unit
Colore del distaccamento -
Our unit was red, all communist, because we had some true communists.
Our unit was red, all communist, because we had some true communists.
Il nostro distaccamento era tutto rosso, tutto comunista perché avevamo gli esperti comunisti: -
The 144th Brigade was called “Antonio Gramsci”
The 144th Brigade was called “Antonio Gramsci”
la 144 Brigata si chiamava “Antonio Gramsci”, -
and the commander was "Sintoni", one that had fought in the Spanish civil war, Pattacini,
and the commander was "Sintoni", one that had fought in the Spanish civil war, Pattacini,
il comandante era "Sintoni" che aveva fatto la guerra di Spagna, Pattacini, -
the commissioner was Antonio Raisi, who'd fought in Spain, too, so all people that were political experts.
the commissioner was Antonio Raisi, who'd fought in Spain, too, so all people that were political experts.
il commissario era Raisi Antonio che aveva fatto la guerra di Spagna anche lui, insomma tutta della gente che erano dei maestri politici -
That was our line.
That was our line.
e noi si seguiva proprio così -
A priest, Don Guido Riva, once complained to us:
A priest, Don Guido Riva, once complained to us:
e infatti un parroco don Guido Riva, stavamo lì allora brontolava sempre -
"You never come to mass! What’s wrong, are you afraid of the Church?"
"You never come to mass! What’s wrong, are you afraid of the Church?"
“Non venite mai a messa! Avete paura della Chiesa?” -
I mean, we had no political experience but we thought that
I mean, we had no political experience but we thought that
insomma non avevamo esperienza politica però pensavamo -
by behaving like this we would be tougher enemies, and in fact we did grow up.
by behaving like this we would be tougher enemies, and in fact we did grow up.
che a fare così fossimo avversari ancora di più infatti siamo cresciuti. -
So our Brigade truly was the red one,
So our Brigade truly was the red one,
E dopo tanto la nostra brigata era proprio rossa rossa -
so that they hardly ever dropped stuff to us, or if they did,
so that they hardly ever dropped stuff to us, or if they did,
infatti non facevano quasi mai dei lanci, oppure lanciavano -
they gave us useless stuff like shoes size 44 - you could place your two feet in one shoe!
they gave us useless stuff like shoes size 44 - you could place your two feet in one shoe!
della roba ultimamente delle scarpe 44 che ci stavano due piedi dentro -
Even our commanders were saying that we were somehow different.
Even our commanders were saying that we were somehow different.
perché anche chi comandava allora diceva che siamo insomma un po’ diversi. -
In fact, I wasn't into politics that much,
In fact, I wasn't into politics that much,
No io non me ne intendevo tanto di politica effettivamente, -
but to be against the fascists and the Germans
but to be against the fascists and the Germans
però essere contro i fascisti e contro i tedeschi