European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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"Now you go up the the Cerreto-pass to block the street".
"Now you go up the the Cerreto-pass to block the street".
“Adesso vi spostate che dopo andrete sul valico del Cerreto a chiudere la strada”. -
Ceasefire
Ceasefire
Armistizio -
As for the ceasefire, I remember
As for the ceasefire, I remember
E invece per l’armistizio mi ricordo -
that there was this little wall in front of our house
that there was this little wall in front of our house
che di fronte a casa nostra, vicino alla strada -
next to the road where we always stopped for a chat.
next to the road where we always stopped for a chat.
c’era un muretto e in quel muretto lì ci fermavamo a fare delle chiacchiere; -
I remember that as they announced these news around 5 p.m.,
I remember that as they announced these news around 5 p.m.,
mi ricordo che in casa mia mia sorella, quando verso le cinque -
the news that the war was over, my sister screamed at me:
the news that the war was over, my sister screamed at me:
hanno dato quella notizia lì che la guerra era finita, mi gridò dalla finestra -
"Hey, Francesco, they said on the radio that the war is over
"Hey, Francesco, they said on the radio that the war is over
“Veh Francesco! Hanno detto per radio adesso che è finita la guerra -
but now there will be discussions with the Germans ..."
but now there will be discussions with the Germans ..."
però ci sarà da discutere con i tedeschi…” -
So I went upstairs because in our house I was the only one in possession of a radio,
So I went upstairs because in our house I was the only one in possession of a radio,
Allora sono andato su perché la radio l’avevo solo io nel nostro casermone, -
so I went to listen. They said something
so I went to listen. They said something
allora sono andato a sentire: però appunto -
about the cease-fire with the Americans so the war-thing was expected to be over,
about the cease-fire with the Americans so the war-thing was expected to be over,
avevano detto che avevano fatto l’armistizio con gli americani e quindi la cosa della guerra doveva essere finita, -
but it was starting right in that moment instead, especially for us.
but it was starting right in that moment instead, especially for us.
e invece era cominciata specialmente anche per noi. -
Introduction and youth
Introduction and youth
Presentazione e giovinezza -
My name is Francesco Bertacchini,
My name is Francesco Bertacchini,
Io mi chiamo Bertacchini Francesco -
I was born in Reggio Emilia on June 24th, 1926.
I was born in Reggio Emilia on June 24th, 1926.
e sono nato a Reggio Emilia il 24 giugno del 1926. -
That was a very bad time,
That was a very bad time,
Quel periodo lì è stato un periodaccio -
we couldn't go anywhere because we were being controlled everywhere we went,
we couldn't go anywhere because we were being controlled everywhere we went,
perché non potevamo andare da nessuna parte perché eravamo controllati da tutte le parti -
it was very nasty. We were friends with this guy called Benito,
it was very nasty. We were friends with this guy called Benito,
e quindi dava fastidio; tra l’altro avevamo in compagnia un certo Benito, -
the son of Benito Foscato, the worst fascist of Zanichelli Street,
the son of Benito Foscato, the worst fascist of Zanichelli Street,
che era il figlio di Benito Foscato, il fascista più cattivo e più prepotente della via Dante Zanichelli,