European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

Our informer found out about an order sent from the central headquarters in Berlin.

They were to take away Reggio Emilia’s theatre curtain. It had been crafted by the great painter Chierici.

They should take it to Bologna, then to Berlin. It was a specific order, to be carried out urgently.

Our informer came to my house. He knew I was involved in the Resistance, and told me about this:

“I’m telling you they received an official order to take away Reggio Emilia’s curtain,

take it to Bologna and then send it to Berlin”.

Fiorello and I decided we had to do something about it.

We got together and devised our plan. We had to carry the curtain away.

It was more than 20 meters long, so we couldn’t transport it with a car or a small truck.

We had to find a suitable vehicle.

One of us found a truck in Rubiera, where he also came from, I think.

We had to wrap the curtain somehow once we had rolled it, to be able to hide it.

We thought about putting the curtain into one of those large pipes that where used for water.

One of us found a large copper pipe.

We had to lower the curtain, since half of it was still hanging.

Five of us went inside, together with two other blindfolded men,

one of whom we doubted being a theatre employee.

We had to use the wooden pulleys. They now use automatic ones.

Anyway, we lowered the curtain and slowly managed to move it. However another problem emerged.

In order not to be fined by the police for bringing such a large truck behind the theatre, one had to ask for permission.