European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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It was important to me. Afterwards, I started working.
It was important to me. Afterwards, I started working.
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And as I had very little ideas about what I wanted to do I became an apprentice butcher.
And as I had very little ideas about what I wanted to do I became an apprentice butcher.
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I worked there for three and a half years. I started to learn about the work. But in the end I never became a butcher.
I worked there for three and a half years. I started to learn about the work. But in the end I never became a butcher.
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Then I started working in construction, in civil projects, doing repair work on ships.
Then I started working in construction, in civil projects, doing repair work on ships.
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I did all sorts of different things, always manual work though.
I did all sorts of different things, always manual work though.
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I was 16 years old in 1936 and I worked in factories.
I was 16 years old in 1936 and I worked in factories.
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I had simply become a worker and got to know the whole period of 1936, the strikes and all that it represented.
I had simply become a worker and got to know the whole period of 1936, the strikes and all that it represented.
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The strikes of 1936 were the beginning of it all.
The strikes of 1936 were the beginning of it all.
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There was a labour movement that manifested itself. I was already part of the working class.
There was a labour movement that manifested itself. I was already part of the working class.
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In these conditions the 1936 movement manifested itself a little bit everywhere and there were big demonstrations.
In these conditions the 1936 movement manifested itself a little bit everywhere and there were big demonstrations.
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It meant very much to the working class movement in France. It was important.
It meant very much to the working class movement in France. It was important.
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Reasons for resistance
Reasons for resistance
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I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
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My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
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Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
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My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
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It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
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therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
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I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
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If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”
If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”