European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
It was dangerous for us as well as for the people we’d give the material to - if they were caught by the police etc. It was very difficult.
Es war also sowohl für uns als auch für die Personen, die die Materialien aufbewahrten, gefährlich, falls sie von der Polizei erfasst wurden. Es war sehr schwierig. -
First political engagements
First political engagements
Erste politische Aktivitäten -
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
I started working in a factory in 1934/1935. And then were the big days of 1936.
1934/1935 fing ich an in einer Fabrik zu arbeiten. Dann kamen die großen Tage von 1936. -
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
It was then I joined the labor movement. I participated in the big strikes of 1936. I was 16, worked in a factory.
Da schloss ich mich der Arbeiterbewegung an. Ich war Teil der großen Streiks von 1936. Ich war 16 und arbeitete in einer Fabrik. -
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
Later on, in 1937/1938 I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
1937/1938 schloss ich mich der Jeneusse Communiste (kommunistischen Jugendorganisation) an. -
There you could fight for your demands.
There you could fight for your demands.
Dort konnte man für seine Forderungen kämpfen. -
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
My friends at the time asked me, “Why don’t you join the Communist Youth Movement?” So I did.
Meine Freunde damals fragten mich: „Warum schließt du dich nicht der Jeneusse Communiste an?“ Also tat ich es. -
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
In 1936 we participated in the Trade Union’s activities. We participated in the strikes and then I joined the Communist Youth Movement.
1936 nahmen wir an gewerkschaftlichen Aktivitäten und Demonstrationen teil. Und so wurde ich ein Teil der Jeneusse Communiste. -
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
It meant that we had to prepare ourselves to go undercover. We were in a semi-undercover state.
Das veränderte einiges, weil man sich darauf einstellen musste, unterzutauchen, also halb im Untergrund zu sein. -
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
The Communist Party and the Communist Youth Movement had been outlawed, which caused a lot of turmoil.
Die Kommunistische Partei und die Jeneusse Communiste wurden verboten, was viel Aufsehen erregte. -
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
My father, who had anarchist tendencies,
Mein Vater, der eher anarchistische Ansichten vertrat, sagte zu mir: -
asked me if I was going to stop my activities as he thought I was going to pay dearly.
asked me if I was going to stop my activities as he thought I was going to pay dearly.
„Hör auf damit! Das wird dir teuer zu stehen kommen, weil sie das verboten haben.“ -
I answered him, that it was my business. I was 17 at the time and argued: “Should one stop just because…”
I answered him, that it was my business. I was 17 at the time and argued: “Should one stop just because…”
Ich erwiderte: „Das ist mein Problem.“ Ich war 17. „Soll man denn deswegen aufhören …?“ -
I asked him how he could work as a coppersmith on ships in 1936/1937 and not even join the trade union.
I asked him how he could work as a coppersmith on ships in 1936/1937 and not even join the trade union.
Du wusstest, wie es 1936/1937 als Kupferschmied auf Schiffen war, aber du hast dich nie der Gewerkschaft angeschlossen.“ -
We had quite a discussion. He himself was not politically active. That took some effort and he worked a lot.
We had quite a discussion. He himself was not politically active. That took some effort and he worked a lot.
Er selbst war nicht politisch aktiv, denn dafür musste man sich engagieren und er arbeitete sehr viel. -
We had to keep a low profile. You can not really call it undercover; we were known to the police.
We had to keep a low profile. You can not really call it undercover; we were known to the police.
Wir mussten uns im Untergrund halten. Man konnte es nicht wirklich Untergrund nennen, aber wir waren trotzdem polizeilich bekannt. -
So we had to take some precautionary measures:
So we had to take some precautionary measures:
Wir mussten besondere Vorsichtsmaßnahmen ergreifen: -
Only going out at night, and also being careful because of police raids. It was extremely difficult. But we did not give up.
Only going out at night, and also being careful because of police raids. It was extremely difficult. But we did not give up.
Nur spät nachts nach draußen gehen und aufpassen, da es nächtliche Polizeirazzien gab. Das war extrem schwer, aber wir gaben nicht auf. -
When distributing leaflets we would try to go out at night, but also not too often, because one had to be careful.
When distributing leaflets we would try to go out at night, but also not too often, because one had to be careful.
Wir versuchten Flugblätter nicht am Tag, sondern nur nachts zu verteilen, und eher am Abend, weil man sehr vorsichtig sein musste. -
Under these circumstances I became politically active, at work and in my daily life.
Under these circumstances I became politically active, at work and in my daily life.
Unter diesen Umständen wurde ich zu einem aktiven Mitglied, bei der Arbeit und in meinem Alltag.