European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
decided that there had to be no Italian prisoners in this country.
beschlossen hätten, dass die Italiener nicht als Gefangene in diesem Land zu bleiben brauchten. -
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
We’re talking about the famous IMIs (Internati Militari Italiani),
Es ging um die berühmten IMI. Auf der Uniform, die einer trug, -
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
Italian interned soldiers who were supposed to wear this acronym on the uniform.
musste IMI draufstehen (Italienische Militärinternierte). -
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Four or five of us, including two Sardinian sergeants of the Italian financial police (the “Guardia di Finanza”),
Wir, angefangen bei mir und zwei sardischen Hauptmännern der Finanzpolizei, zu viert oder fünft also, -
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
managed to convince all the others not to sign. We were 550 in my camp.
wir haben es geschafft, dass niemand unterschrieb. In meinem Lager waren wir 500. -
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
They would tell us: “We’ll send you back home to Italy
Während die sagten "wir schicken Euch nach Italien -
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
and there the Monte Rosa division is waiting for you”.
und da wartet die (Gebirgsjägerdivision) Monte Rosa auf euch”, -
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
We could only imagine what the Monte Rosa was,
konnten wir nur ahnen, was die Monte Rosa sein sollte. -
but this is what we would tell them:
but this is what we would tell them:
Wisst ihr, was wir sagten? -
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Leute, wir unterschreiben nichts, denn an der Front in Russland fehlt es uns an Kräften, es fehlen Soldaten. Die schicken uns an die russische Front!" -
So nobody signed.
So nobody signed.
Keiner hat unterschrieben. -
The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
Der Chef aller Chefs, der “Lagerführer”, -
was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
ist eines Tages so wütend geworden ... -
– I will tell you this in German –
– I will tell you this in German –
– Ich sag das auf Deutsch – -
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”. Die haben uns echt drei Tage kein Brot gegeben. -
The cold and the work
The cold and the work
Die Kälte und die Arbeit -
When we arrived there, the French asked us:
When we arrived there, the French asked us:
Als wir dort ankamen, fragten uns die Franzosen: -
“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
„Ihr kommt von draußen, was sagen die Leute?
Wie lange wird der Krieg noch dauern?“ -
We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
Wir dachten immer, wir wüssten alles.
und wir sagten, es würde nur noch 1-2 Monate dauern. -
but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
Aber sie antworteten dass es noch zwei Jahre dauern würde.
Sie hatten recht. Der Krieg ging noch zwei Jahre weiter.