European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Reasons for resistance
Reasons for resistance
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I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
I would have been disloyal to my own convictions, if I hadn’t joined the resistance.
Da hätte ich meiner Gesinnung untreu werden müssen, wenn ich nicht in den Widerstand gegangen wäre. -
My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
My grandfather was jailed in the KUK Empire,
Mein Großvater war eingesperrt im KUK Kaiserreich, -
Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
Emperor Royal Monarchy of the Habsburgs, because he fought for socialism.
Kaiser Königliche Monarchie der Habsburger, weil er für den Sozialismus gekämpft hat. -
My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
My father was jailed because he fought for socialism.
Mein Vater war eingesperrt, weil er für den Sozialismus gekämpft hat. -
It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
It was obvious, that I would work in the same track,
Das ich in der Spur weiterarbeite, also nicht nur passiv es über mich ergehen lasse, -
therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
therefore would not passively let it wash over me, but work against it.
sondern dagegen tätig bin, war klar. -
I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
I was not alone and we had learned not just to back off when the enemy attacked, but to think about where to start a counter-attack.
Ich war ja nicht allein und wir hatten ja gelernt wenn der Gegner angreift, dann weicht man nicht einfach zurück, sondern überlegt man sich wo kannst du einen Gegenangriff starten. -
If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”
If you were sure about being needed in the time after Hitler, to that time this was an important sentence: “…for the time after Hitler.”
Wenn man dann davon überzeugt ist, man wird gebraucht für die Zeit nach Hitler, das war ja damals ein wichtiger Satz: "…für die Zeit nach Hitler." -
So you would work illegally but do not take unnecessary risks.
So you would work illegally but do not take unnecessary risks.
Also seid illegal tätig, aber geht nicht unnötige Risiken ein. -
It was obvious that you would deliberately throw a spanner in the works,
It was obvious that you would deliberately throw a spanner in the works,
Da war also klar, du wirst überlegt Sand ins Getriebe streuen, -
as long as you could and as long as you could breathe.
as long as you could and as long as you could breathe.
so gut du kannst und solang du atmen kannst. -
It was the same with many others.
It was the same with many others.
Das war bei vielen, da war ich ja nicht allein, bei vielen anderen auch so. -
End of war
End of war
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Towards the end of the war I was seriously wounded another time.
Towards the end of the war I was seriously wounded another time.
Ich wurde am Schluss des Krieges noch mal schwer verwundet. -
I was buried by a British aircraft-bomb for a short time and then unconscious for two days.
I was buried by a British aircraft-bomb for a short time and then unconscious for two days.
Ich war kurze Zeit verschüttet, durch eine britische Fliegerbombe und war dann zwei Tage bewusstlos. -
The 8th May I witnessed in an auxiliary military hospital in British captivity.
The 8th May I witnessed in an auxiliary military hospital in British captivity.
Den 8. Mai erlebte ich in einem Behelfslazarett in britischer Gefangenschaft. -
Only few who were pleased like me. Some just did not care.
Only few who were pleased like me. Some just did not care.
Da gab es also nur wenige, die sich freuten wie ich, sondern manchen war es gleichgültig, bestenfalls der Krieg ist zu Ende. Aber was kommt jetzt auf uns zu? -
Some, mostly young officers that were in the military hospital with me, were set really hostile towards the change.
Some, mostly young officers that were in the military hospital with me, were set really hostile towards the change.
Manche, vor allem junge Offiziere, die mit mir im Lazarett lagen, die waren natürlich ausgesprochen feindlich demgegenüber gestellt. -
Like this: “Now it has to keep on going, we have to keep on fighting!”
Like this: “Now it has to keep on going, we have to keep on fighting!”
So ungefähr: „Jetzt muss es weiter gehen, wir müssen weiter kämpfen!“