European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

Otherwise it was voluntarily and paid.

After the war they handed in and exchanged their vouchers for livestock.

We were glad the war was over and we had survived.

Motivation; problems of the partisans

With the partisans life was slightly different.

Nowadays you say:

“Not everybody had the opportunity to join them.”

Many would have had an opportunity but didn’t risk it.

I was not fit to work for the front any more.

For me there would have probably been a job.

But I didn’t want to. I could not share the responsibility to work with the ones that wanted to eliminate us.

The partisans had problems with the provisions

and sleeping in the forest overnight.

Here and there in houses as well, still, but most of the time in the forest.

Even in the cold and snow. The clothes froze on you.

You felt stiff as a straw mattress.

Only those of really a tough nature were able to handle that.

People incapable of handling this deserted.

That didn’t help.

Joining the partisan army