European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Two of us were butchers – one of them was from Ravenna, his name was Belloni.
Two of us were butchers – one of them was from Ravenna, his name was Belloni.
Zwei von uns waren Schlachter –
einer aus Ravenna, sein Name war Belloni. -
They began to find calves - I’m not joking! - then slaughtered them
They began to find calves - I’m not joking! - then slaughtered them
Sie fingen an Kälber zu finden – kein Scherz! – und schlachteten sie. -
and put the meat in those beer barrels that you can find in Germany.
and put the meat in those beer barrels that you can find in Germany.
Sie legten das Fleisch in solchen Bierfässern ein, die man in Deutschland findet. -
We had fresh meat after 15 or 20 days,
We had fresh meat after 15 or 20 days,
Wir hatten nach 15-20 Tagen noch frisches Fleisch. -
and every night they would go out to find something,
and every night they would go out to find something,
Sie gingen jede Nacht raus, um etwas zu finden, -
so we were finally ok concerning food.
so we were finally ok concerning food.
uns ging es also endlich gut, was die Ernährung betrifft. -
Three days without bread
Three days without bread
Drei Tage kein Brot -
Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Some of the interpreters, even those who were Italian,
Einige der Übersetzer, auch die Italiener, -
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
kept telling us there was a chance that Mussolini and Hitler
sagten uns, dass es da eine Möglichkeit gäbe, dass Mussolini und Hitler -
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
beschlossen hätten, dass die Italiener nicht als Gefangene in diesem Land zu bleiben brauchten. -
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
Es ging um die berühmten IMI. Auf der Uniform, die einer trug, -
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
musste IMI draufstehen (Italienische Militärinternierte). -
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Wir, angefangen bei mir und zwei sardischen Hauptmännern der Finanzpolizei, zu viert oder fünft also, -
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
wir haben es geschafft, dass niemand unterschrieb. In meinem Lager waren wir 500. -
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
Während die sagten "wir schicken Euch nach Italien -
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
und da wartet die (Gebirgsjägerdivision) Monte Rosa auf euch”, -
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
konnten wir nur ahnen, was die Monte Rosa sein sollte. -
but this is what we would tell them:
but this is what we would tell them:
Wisst ihr, was wir sagten? -
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Leute, wir unterschreiben nichts, denn an der Front in Russland fehlt es uns an Kräften, es fehlen Soldaten. Die schicken uns an die russische Front!" -
So nobody signed.
So nobody signed.
Keiner hat unterschrieben.