European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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So I decided that I can’t let myself just stand aside.
So I decided that I can’t let myself just stand aside.
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So I went straight to the telephone – there weren’t many at the time, but we had one in our home –
So I went straight to the telephone – there weren’t many at the time, but we had one in our home –
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and called my friends, who I’d heard whispering stuff. I had sensed it had something to do with the occupier.
and called my friends, who I’d heard whispering stuff. I had sensed it had something to do with the occupier.
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I said I wanted to get ‘in’, that I also wanted to do whatever they knew about. The very next day I was called to my first meeting.
I said I wanted to get ‘in’, that I also wanted to do whatever they knew about. The very next day I was called to my first meeting.
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Introduction
Introduction
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For many years I also taught drawing at various schools,
For many years I also taught drawing at various schools,
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but now in my old age I have dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.
but now in my old age I have dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.
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I’m 87 years old. My generation experienced WWII.
I’m 87 years old. My generation experienced WWII.
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Experienced massive changes during the war and then after the war as well.
Experienced massive changes during the war and then after the war as well.
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I must say that we imagined a different world after WWII. A different world would arise than the one we live in now.
I must say that we imagined a different world after WWII. A different world would arise than the one we live in now.
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But one just has to adjust one’s expectations to what is going on in society.
But one just has to adjust one’s expectations to what is going on in society.
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At the time I was very active in Ljubljana and a lot was going on in Ljubljana.
At the time I was very active in Ljubljana and a lot was going on in Ljubljana.
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The walls were plastered with lists of hostages
The walls were plastered with lists of hostages
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and practically every day you would be informed of something horrible.
and practically every day you would be informed of something horrible.
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It is difficult to say whether one could even feel in the mood to create some great piece of art.
It is difficult to say whether one could even feel in the mood to create some great piece of art.
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Nonetheless, I would, just to remain a painter –
Nonetheless, I would, just to remain a painter –
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usually doing things similar to that in the program at the Zagreb Academy – just enough to stay in condition.
usually doing things similar to that in the program at the Zagreb Academy – just enough to stay in condition.
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It was later, when I joined the partisans that I could finally make use of my painting skills.
It was later, when I joined the partisans that I could finally make use of my painting skills.
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Romana Verdel was born in Remschenig/Remcenik in 1938 in the bilingual part of Carinthia/Koroska. Her familiy belonged to the Slovenian minority. Together with her mother Anna Rotter and other relatives, she lived at the house of Katarina Sluga, her politically engaged aunt and founder of the antifascist women’s association. Being accused of a critical attitude towards National Socialism and network activities, some relatives join the Slovene partisans in 1943. Romana remains undiscovered by the Gesatpo and is being hidden with the children by her aunt Amalija, who also joins the partisans in the mountains and in Solcava in the valley Logartal. In April 1944, Amalija returns to Carinthia/Koroska. Roman is being taken in at a farmhouse and survives war there. 13 of her relatives fall with the partisans or die in concentration camps. The orphan Romana stays as a maid in the farm and later moves to the farmhouse of her partents in Remschenig/Remcenik. For 20 years, she suffers from anaemia. By and by, her life becomes more normal, but »when a child suffers from war and even is lucky enough to survive – the fear remains all your life«.
Romana Verdel was born in Remschenig/Remcenik in 1938 in the bilingual part of Carinthia/Koroska. Her familiy belonged to the Slovenian minority. Together with her mother Anna Rotter and other relatives, she lived at the house of Katarina Sluga, her politically engaged aunt and founder of the antifascist women’s association. Being accused of a critical attitude towards National Socialism and network activities, some relatives join the Slovene partisans in 1943. Romana remains undiscovered by the Gesatpo and is being hidden with the children by her aunt Amalija, who also joins the partisans in the mountains and in Solcava in the valley Logartal. In April 1944, Amalija returns to Carinthia/Koroska. Roman is being taken in at a farmhouse and survives war there. 13 of her relatives fall with the partisans or die in concentration camps. The orphan Romana stays as a maid in the farm and later moves to the farmhouse of her partents in Remschenig/Remcenik. For 20 years, she suffers from anaemia. By and by, her life becomes more normal, but »when a child suffers from war and even is lucky enough to survive – the fear remains all your life«.
Romana Verdel (geborene Rotter) wurde 1938 in Remschenig/Remcenik im zweisprachigen Teil von Kärnten/Koroska geboren. Ihre Familie gehört der slowenischen Minderheit an. Zusammen mit ihrer Mutter Anna Rotter und weiteren Verwandten wohnt sie bei Katarina Sluga, ihrer politisch engagierten Tante und Mitgründerin des Antifaschistischen Frauenbundes. Der NS-kritischen Haltung und der politischen Vernetzungstätigkeiten verdächtig, schließen sich einige Familienmitglieder 1943 den slowenischen PartisanInnen an. Der Rest der Familie wird im Oktober 1943 von der Gestapo arretiert und deportiert. Romana bleibt von der Gestapo unentdeckt und wird zusammen mit anderen Kindern von ihrer Tante Amalija versteckt, bis diese sich im Januar ’44 mit den Kindern den PartisanInnen in den Bergen und in Solcava im Logartal anschließt. Im April ’44 kehrt Amalija mit den Kindern nach Kärnten/Koroska zurück, wo Romana auf einem Bauernhof aufgenommen wird und den Krieg überlebt, während 13 ihrer Familienangehörigen als PartisanInnen fallen bzw. im KZ umgebracht werden. Die verwaiste Romana bleibt nach Kriegsende als Magd am Bauernhof und zieht später auf den Hof ihrer Eltern in Remschenig/Remcenik. Zwanzig Jahre leidet sie an Anämie. Im Laufe der Zeit normalisiert sich ihr Leben, doch »Wenn ein Kind den Krieg durchmacht, auch Glück hat, dass es überlebt – die Angst bleibt im ganzen Leben.« -
Erwin Schulz was born on the 13th of October 1912 in Tempelhof (belonging to Berlin since 1920). In 1922, he joined the workers sport group “Fichte”. These sport groups were considered as being progressive and anti-bourgeois. Five years later he joined the trade union, the central association of office workers. After Hitler took over the power in January 1933, opposition groups were slowly forbidden, “Fichte” also. Erwin Schulz was condemned to five years imprisonment for preparation of high treason, because he had distributed antifascist flyers and helped to keep up the clandestine structures of "Fichte". The next ten years he went through the prison of Luckau, the camps of Esterwegen and Börgermoor, the punishment division 999, Moroccan, French, English and American captivity. Not until October 1946 he returned to Berlin.
Erwin Schulz was born on the 13th of October 1912 in Tempelhof (belonging to Berlin since 1920). In 1922, he joined the workers sport group “Fichte”. These sport groups were considered as being progressive and anti-bourgeois. Five years later he joined the trade union, the central association of office workers. After Hitler took over the power in January 1933, opposition groups were slowly forbidden, “Fichte” also. Erwin Schulz was condemned to five years imprisonment for preparation of high treason, because he had distributed antifascist flyers and helped to keep up the clandestine structures of "Fichte". The next ten years he went through the prison of Luckau, the camps of Esterwegen and Börgermoor, the punishment division 999, Moroccan, French, English and American captivity. Not until October 1946 he returned to Berlin.
Erwin Schulz wurde am 13. Oktober 1912 in Tempelhof (gehört seit 1920 zu Berlin) geboren. 1922 trat er dem Arbeitersportverein ›Fichte‹ bei. Vereine des Arbeitersports galten als fortschrittlich und antibürgerlich. Fünf Jahre später trat er in die Gewerkschaft, den Zentralverband der Angestellten, ein. Nach der Machtübergabe an Hitler im Januar 1933 wurden oppositionelle Gruppierungen nach und nach verboten, so auch der Arbeitersportverein ›Fichte‹. Erwin Schulz wurde im September 1935 wegen Vorbereitung zum Hochverrat zu fünf Jahren Zuchthaus verurteilt, weil er u.a. antinazistische Flugblätter verteilt hatte und die klandestinen Strukturen von ›Fichte‹ aufrecht erhielt. Die Stationen der nächsten zehn Jahre hießen u.a. Zuchthaus Luckau, die Lager Esterwegen und Börgermoor, Strafdivision 999er, marokkanische, französische, englische und amerikanische Kriegsgefangenschaft. Er kehrte erst im Oktober 1946 nach Berlin zurück.