European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

In about half an hour the boys and men who had deserted knew that they had to leave and hide in the countryside.

July 25th and September 8th 1943

In 1941 we received a telegram informing us that my brother Mario had died. He had been sent to Greece.

Another brother went to Ukraine directly from Albania.

Another one was also recalled for military service and went to Mentone,

in France, as Italy wanted to regain the area.

The brother who was a victim of political persecution had not been recalled and was at home,

along with the youngest one, who was not of age yet, the kids and the women.

We had 20 acres of land to farm.

As women we began to consider ourselves the head of the family, although the law didn’t accept it.

We had to find a way to farm the land.

Many women, even among our neighbours, had gone to work in the factories,

taking advantage of the wartime industry. You have to imagine that men were at war

while women were left at home to look after the children and take care of the family.

We were very happy and felt like being born again.

With two of my friends, those in the picture, we took an old flag. I don’t know where we found it, but we left on our bicycles.

I was in the middle while they were on the sides, and we set off a parade in the country roads.

Everybody was in the streets, so the parade grew more and more.

From Castellazzo to Reggio it is seven or eight km.

A whole group of youths – since the older ones were at war – rode their bicycles all the way to the city.