European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
Ich zog nach Villa Rivalta und mit nicht einmal 17 Jahren begann ich bei Officine Reggiane zu arbeiten. -
Even there, every day was a struggle.
Even there, every day was a struggle.
Sogar dort war jeder Tag ein Kampf, es war kein schönes Leben. -
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
Für alles musste man das Parteibuch der Faschisten vorzeigen. -
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
Für mich war das ein weiterer Grund, nicht mit den Faschisten einverstanden zu sein. -
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Bei allem was man tat, bei allem was man brauchte, -
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
sollte man das Parteibuch vorzeigen. -
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
Ich glaubte nicht daran und ich wollte das Parteibuch nicht. -
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
Ich musste mich so gut wie möglich behelfen, mit Methoden, die ich von meiner Familie gelernt hatte, -
my parents and my two older sisters.
my parents and my two older sisters.
von meinen Eltern und meinen beiden älteren Schwestern. -
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
In der Schule machten wir in den ersten drei Monaten Schreibübungen und lernten bis 50 zu zählen. -
Our teachers were not like the ones you might find today.
Our teachers were not like the ones you might find today.
Die Lehrerinnen waren nicht so wie heute. -
I remember that my teacher was from Casalgrande and walked all the way to school and back, poor woman.
I remember that my teacher was from Casalgrande and walked all the way to school and back, poor woman.
Ich erinnere mich, dass meine Lehrerin aus Casalgrande kam. Die arme Frau ging den ganzen Weg zur Schule und zurück zu Fuß. -
Going to school was not considered too important.
Going to school was not considered too important.
Zur Schule zu gehen wurde als nicht so wichtig erachtet. -
Just take my case: as soon as I finished primary third grade, after I had failed second grade,
Just take my case: as soon as I finished primary third grade, after I had failed second grade,
Wenn man meinen Fall nimmt: als ich mit der dritten Klasse fertig war, nachdem ich die zweite nicht bestanden hatte, -
I stopped attending school.
I stopped attending school.
ging ich nicht mehr zur Schule. -
It’s not like someone stopped me from going, it’s just that it was enough to learn the basics of reading and writing.
It’s not like someone stopped me from going, it’s just that it was enough to learn the basics of reading and writing.
Es war nicht aus Bosheit, es war nur so, dass es genügte, wenn man Lesen und Schreiben gelernt hatte. -
Later, in the army, I used to write letters for a fellow soldier from Guastalla and two more who were from the mountains.
Later, in the army, I used to write letters for a fellow soldier from Guastalla and two more who were from the mountains.
Später, in der Armee, schrieb ich Briefe für einen Kameraden aus Guastalla und zwei weitere aus den Bergen. -
They were my age but didn’t know how to write: I was not better than them, but I had gone to school until third grade.
They were my age but didn’t know how to write: I was not better than them, but I had gone to school until third grade.
Sie waren in meinem Alter, aber sie konnten nicht schreiben. Ich war nicht besser als sie, außer dass ich bis zur dritten Klasse zur Schule ging. -
Reflecting history
Reflecting history
Nachdenken über die Vergangenheit -
I care about these stories.
I care about these stories.
Mir sind diese Geschichten wichtig.