European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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The fascist regime didn’t spare us children.
The fascist regime didn’t spare us children.
The fascist regime didn’t even spare us children. -
Our school organized a contest for the best drawing.
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I was really very good in drawing.
I was really very good in drawing.
I was good, I was really good at drawing. -
I had drawn some very nice fasces with a laurel wreath.
I had drawn some very nice fasces with a laurel wreath.
And look at the irony of fate: I drew a very nice sheaf with a beautiful laurel wreath. -
It’s not easy to colour that with crayons if you’re not good at it.
It’s not easy to colour that with crayons if you’re not good at it.
To paint it, I mean, to color it with crayons if you don't have the hand for it... I mean, if you're not careful, it won't turn out well... -
It turned out really nice.
It turned out really nice.
but actually it turned out to be very beautiful -
My drawing was chosen as the most beautiful one in the school.
My drawing was chosen as the most beautiful one in the school.
and it was selected as the best drawing of our elementary school in Castelnovo di Sotto. -
We were called at the Ausoni theatre for the award ceremony.
We were called at the Ausoni theatre for the award ceremony.
We were called to the Ausoni theatre for the award ceremony. -
The podestà was to hand out the prizes.
The podestà was to hand out the prizes.
The podestà was supposed to come hand out the prizes. -
The whole fascist hierarchy was attending, as always in case of ceremonies.
The whole fascist hierarchy was attending, as always in case of ceremonies.
They were present, since the entire fascist heirarchy was present at every event, giving out awards to the children...
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I was the last one who would have been awarded.
I was the last one who would have been awarded.
i was the last one to be called since I had earned the top award in the entire school. -
They finally called me. I went up the steps to the stand.
They finally called me. I went up the steps to the stand.
They called me, I went up the stairs and was up on the stage... -
Mr. Ganassi was there. Every evening I used to bring him some milk of a cow I had raised.
Mr. Ganassi was there. Every evening I used to bring him some milk of a cow I had raised.
and there stood Doctor Ganassi. This I should state because he was a family friend and I, even all of us, would bring him milk from a cow that I'd practically raised, -
Since he had a little child and he had been losing all his children when very young.
Since he had a little child and he had been losing all his children when very young.
since he had a young son but couldn't manage to raise him... all of his children died as infants and so we would bring him this milk. -
Mr. Ganassi told me: “So you don’t belong to the Piccole Italiane?” I answered: “No, my father didn’t sign me up”.
Mr. Ganassi told me: “So you don’t belong to the Piccole Italiane?” I answered: “No, my father didn’t sign me up”.
And he said: “Oh, you don’t belong to the Piccole Italiane?” I answered: “No, my father didn’t sign me up”. -
“So we can’t give you the award”, said Mr. Ganassi, and sent me back.
“So we can’t give you the award”, said Mr. Ganassi, and sent me back.
"Well, then we won't give your your award" and he sent me back. -
How can a little girl who’s ten or eleven years old understand
How can a little girl who’s ten or eleven years old understand
A ten, eleven year-old girl... how can you explain to her that... -
that having a membership card is worth more than her skills?
that having a membership card is worth more than her skills?
how can she understand that there is more worth to a membership card than her ability to work, to study, to be good, etcetera? -
I went home crying. My mother was feeding the pigs.
I went home crying. My mother was feeding the pigs.
I went home crying. My mother was feeding the pigs. Poor thing.. she found herself... -
I was telling her that it was her fault that I didn’t receive my prize.
I was telling her that it was her fault that I didn’t receive my prize.
I said, "This is your fault. I didn't get an award because you didn't get me the membership."