European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Everything went alright until San Polo, where the train was surrounded. The fascist police started searching.
Everything went alright until San Polo, where the train was surrounded. The fascist police started searching.
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They looked all over the place, under the seats, inside the packages and suitcases.
They looked all over the place, under the seats, inside the packages and suitcases.
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But they didn’t notice my package. It was covered with some newspapers.
But they didn’t notice my package. It was covered with some newspapers.
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When I arrived in Ciano I left the bicycle at the station and followed the Enza river.
When I arrived in Ciano I left the bicycle at the station and followed the Enza river.
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Then I asked them to come pick up this damned radio, because it was almost a 5 km walk from Ciano to Cerresola.
Then I asked them to come pick up this damned radio, because it was almost a 5 km walk from Ciano to Cerresola.
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It wasn’t a very nice journey with that thing. I had no chance of getting through the police blocks, so I solved the problem that way.
It wasn’t a very nice journey with that thing. I had no chance of getting through the police blocks, so I solved the problem that way.
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Hiding weapons; developing awareness
Hiding weapons; developing awareness
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At home, my father took care of the problem of ammunition.
At home, my father took care of the problem of ammunition.
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Since he bottled wine, we had crates full of bottles in the cellar ready to be delivered.
Since he bottled wine, we had crates full of bottles in the cellar ready to be delivered.
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He had made holes in the crates where he would stuff the ammunition. Then he closed them.
He had made holes in the crates where he would stuff the ammunition. Then he closed them.
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Our kitchen was right over the cellar.
Our kitchen was right over the cellar.
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The cellar had a vaulted ceiling with an empty space between the vaults.
The cellar had a vaulted ceiling with an empty space between the vaults.
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My father had taken off some tiles in the kitchen over one of these spaces.
My father had taken off some tiles in the kitchen over one of these spaces.
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We hid our weapons, guns and everything else there.
We hid our weapons, guns and everything else there.
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Then we’d put the tile back and cover it with a chest of drawers.
Then we’d put the tile back and cover it with a chest of drawers.
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It was really hard to notice the hiding-place.
It was really hard to notice the hiding-place.
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Torelli at a certain moment told me: “Laila, what you’re doing is not enough.
Torelli at a certain moment told me: “Laila, what you’re doing is not enough.
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You do so much for the partisans and for us, but you need to think about what your future will be”.
You do so much for the partisans and for us, but you need to think about what your future will be”.
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I replied: “Well, let’s just hope it will be a little bit better than now”.
I replied: “Well, let’s just hope it will be a little bit better than now”.
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He said: “If you agree, organize a meeting with all the women you work with and I’ll get a communist leader to come”.
He said: “If you agree, organize a meeting with all the women you work with and I’ll get a communist leader to come”.