European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

They told us that the Germans were out there and that the land was mined because they didn't want night attacks,

so the Commander said to us we could go to Ancona and we all immediately agreed.

Then I fell asleep on a pile of ropes, starving, and when I woke up I saw Ancona on the coast.

We got off there and they brought us to an old factory that was full of people.

They put sergeants there as guards, and I was a sergeant, they wouldn't let anyone pass.

I had no Lira in my pocket, only Kunas, the Croatian currency.

There was a greengrocer there and I wanted grapes

so I went there to take a look and the lady said:

“Do you want grapes?” and I said “Yes madam, but I have no money”.

So she gave me the grapes for free.

She was like a mother, she asked me where I came from

and she said that the Germans were coming up from Jesi, from Ancona,

and that they were seizing the soldiers.

I went back and talked to the other seven fellows from Reggio Emilia.

Three came with me, we went home,

we had a hard time but after eleven days we reached our homes walking and by train.

We wanted to be home by September because then there would be grapes and figs,

there would be something to eat, whereas there was nothing at the place we were staying.

In Reggio I stayed at some poor peoples' house.

The villa in front of the house where the landlord was living was full of Germans.