European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

where a wood-seller was staying.

He told us that the road up was safe and free.

We could go there and then that guy would introduce us to the rebels.

But it was a flop instead because when we reached Compiano,

we met a patrol that was checking the road

and we had to hide on the other shore of the river.

We found ourselves in Scurano

and then there we had to give up our plan to go to the mountains.

We went for a trip but in the end it wasn't even a trip.

It ended up being a terrible mess.

When we arrived we had no money, no stuff and no one to help us.

So we left the bicycle there in Compiano

and arriving at Buvolo we saw many people sitting on the bridge.

We looked at each other and said: "Those are not people, those are soldiers or fascists".

In fact one of them jumped up and came to talk to us,

but we just turned around without much fuss

and walked down to the river Enza, passed the river and walked to Scurano.

When we approached the village, we noticed a lot of people fleeing.

So we asked: "What happened?"

And they said: "The Germans have come!"