European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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A commercial traveller, an anti-fascist who commuted between the borders,
A commercial traveller, an anti-fascist who commuted between the borders,
Ein Handlungsreisender, ein Antifaschist, der zwischen den Grenzen hin und her pendelte, -
associated me with the anti-fascist group there.
associated me with the anti-fascist group there.
der hat mich dort in Verbindung gebracht mit der Antifa-Gruppe. -
For them I was a stranger, they wanted proof:
For them I was a stranger, they wanted proof:
Für die war ich ein Fremder, die wollten einen Beweiß haben, -
How reliable is this man and what can he do?
How reliable is this man and what can he do?
wie verlässlich ist der Mann und was kann er. -
They said: “We need ammunition. Can you provide us with a box of hand grenades?
They said: “We need ammunition. Can you provide us with a box of hand grenades?
Sie haben gesagt, wir brauchen Munition: „Kannst du uns eine Kiste Handgranaten besorgen? -
We have explosives - but not enough - everything else is available!”
We have explosives - but not enough - everything else is available!”
Wir haben Sprengstoff, in nicht genügend Maß aber alles andere ist da!“ -
It was a tough job,
It was a tough job,
Es war eine sehr schwierige Sache, -
but during a transport I put aside a box of hand grenades at the risk of loosing my life and let them know.
but during a transport I put aside a box of hand grenades at the risk of loosing my life and let them know.
aber ich habe unter Einsatz meines Lebens eine Kiste Handgranaten bei einem Transport auf die Seite geschafft und sie benachrichtig. -
Three days later the district recruiting office in Bayreuth was blown up with the entire file.
Three days later the district recruiting office in Bayreuth was blown up with the entire file.
Drei Tage später flog in Bayreuth das Wehrkreisersatzamt in die Luft mit der gesamten Kartei. -
In the ammunition factory the most important machine was blown up and the most difficult:
In the ammunition factory the most important machine was blown up and the most difficult:
Im Rüstungsbetrieb flog die wichtigste Maschine in die Luft und das schwierigste: -
on the air field we blew up two out of three machines.
on the air field we blew up two out of three machines.
auf dem Flugplatz, haben wir von drei Maschinen zwei in die Luft gesprengt. -
It wasn’t me, that were the anti-fascists from Bayreuth, but I helped.
It wasn’t me, that were the anti-fascists from Bayreuth, but I helped.
Nicht ich, die Bayreuther Antifaschisten, aber ich habe mitgeholfen schon als Rekrut. -
The question was what you were able do as a soldier in an unfamiliar environment.
The question was what you were able do as a soldier in an unfamiliar environment.
Die Frage was kann man als Soldat tun, in einer fremden Umgebung. -
We always tried to build anti-fascist cells and if it was one man or two.
We always tried to build anti-fascist cells and if it was one man or two.
Wir haben immer versucht Antifa-Zellen zu bilden und wenn es ein Mann war oder zwei -
It was not easy to find out where somebody was, thinking the same as you.
It was not easy to find out where somebody was, thinking the same as you.
war es nicht leicht heraus zubekommen, wo ist jemand der genauso denkt wie du. -
You had to proceed carefully with questions.
You had to proceed carefully with questions.
Man musste ja bei solchen Fragen sehr vorsichtig vorgehen. -
Sometimes somebody told a joke and you could tell by the kind of reaction:
Sometimes somebody told a joke and you could tell by the kind of reaction:
Manchmal hat einer einen Witz erzählt und man hat an der Art der Reaktion gemerkt, -
is he an opponent of fascism or not.
is he an opponent of fascism or not.
ist er ein Gegner des Faschismus oder ist er jetzt empört, wenn ein Witz gegen die Nazis erzählt wird, also das waren oft Testfälle -
Wherever I went, within short time I always had an anti-fascist cell in my unit.
Wherever I went, within short time I always had an anti-fascist cell in my unit.
Wo ich auch war, ich habe immer und überall in absehbarer Zeit eine Zelle in der Einheit gehabt, in der ich als Soldat gewesen bin. -
It was a lot easier later, after I was badly wounded
It was a lot easier later, after I was badly wounded
Das ging nachher, nach der schweren Verwundung noch viel besser