European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Typisch: unser Einsatz an einem Hang, -
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
wo wir nach dem ersten Schuss von der amerikanischen Artillerie zusammengeschossen worden wären. -
No one would have survived.
No one would have survived.
Keiner hätte überlebt. -
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
So war dann auch der militärische Einsatz von vielen Frontabschnitten. -
Literature about this does exist.
Literature about this does exist.
Da gibt es ja auch Literatur drüber. -
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
Das war das Prinzip: Vernichtung der Politischen, die sollten im Krieg zu Grunde gehen und nicht überleben. -
The companies were assembled as follows:
The companies were assembled as follows:
Die Kompanien waren ja so zusammengestellt: -
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
ein Drittel Politische, ein Drittel Kriminelle und ein Drittel Offiziere, Unteroffiziere -
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
und Gefreite, die zum großen Teil Nazis waren. So war die Zusammensetzung. -
You had to be really careful if you did not really know the political prisoners.
You had to be really careful if you did not really know the political prisoners.
Ich habe so was jedenfalls in der Zeit, sofern man auch dann Politische nicht so kannte - man musste ja sehr vorsichtig sein. -
Any comments or thoughts – it was very easy to get shot.
Any comments or thoughts – it was very easy to get shot.
Irgendwelche Äußerungen oder Gedanken – da ist man schnell erschossen worden. -
Some did know each other.
Some did know each other.
Manche kannten sich. -
They had been in prison together and now, met again after many years.
They had been in prison together and now, met again after many years.
Sie waren zusammen im Zuchthaus - haben sich jetzt wiedergetroffen nach vielen Jahren. -
Now you didn’t always know how somebody thought in 1940 or 42, who had been imprisoned in 1934/35/36.
Now you didn’t always know how somebody thought in 1940 or 42, who had been imprisoned in 1934/35/36.
Nun wußte man ja nun nicht, einer der 34 35 36 eingesperrt war, wie denkt er. Es war 40, 42 -
You did notice and in time you had contact to the political ones.
You did notice and in time you had contact to the political ones.
Man hat mit der Zeit Kontakte zu den Politischen. Man merkte das schon. -
We were all political prisoners.
We were all political prisoners.
Wir waren alle Politische. -
We had made sure of no others joining us.
We had made sure of no others joining us.
Das hatten wir dann schon so’n bisschen arrangiert – nicht – das da kein anderer dazu kam. -
That was important - even there.
That was important - even there.
Das spielte dann ja auch da ’ne Rolle. -
The training: We did not have a pass. Later on, in Belgium, we did.
The training: We did not have a pass. Later on, in Belgium, we did.
Die Ausbildung: Wir hatten doch, wie gesagt, keinen Ausgang. Ausgang hatten wir wohl nachher, als wir nach Belgien kamen. -
There was always a corporal walking along with us (with 3 or 5 men)
There was always a corporal walking along with us (with 3 or 5 men)
Da ist dann ein Unteroffizier mitgelaufen, mit 3 oder 5 Mann, der musste aufpassen,