European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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and somehow I was, given my job, given the fact that I was producing weapons.
and somehow I was, given my job, given the fact that I was producing weapons.
in gewisser Weise war ich ja verantwortlich, wenn man sich meine Arbeit anschaute, wenn man sich anschaute, dass ich Waffen produzierte, -
I felt a bit guilty, an accomplice in all this.
I felt a bit guilty, an accomplice in all this.
so dass ich mich ein bisschen schuldig, als Komplize in diesem Ganzen fühlte. -
That’s why we were trying to go to the mountains to fight the Germans and the fascists,
That’s why we were trying to go to the mountains to fight the Germans and the fascists,
Das ist der Grund warum wir mit ein paar Freunden versuchten, in die Berge zu gehen, um gegen die Deutschen und die Faschisten zu kämpfen, -
with such a drive you couldn’t even imagine.
with such a drive you couldn’t even imagine.
mit einer Inbrunst, die man sich gar nicht vorstellen kann. -
Toni starts antifascist activities
Toni starts antifascist activities
Toni inizia l’attivitá antifascista -
Fascist propaganda was telling us the communists in Spain
Fascist propaganda was telling us the communists in Spain
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had raped and stabbed to death some nuns, so I really didn’t like communism much.
had raped and stabbed to death some nuns, so I really didn’t like communism much.
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Then what happened?
Then what happened?
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It was 1943, the war was starting,
It was 1943, the war was starting,
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people were talking about our retreats in Russia and in Northern Africa, the bombings, etc.
people were talking about our retreats in Russia and in Northern Africa, the bombings, etc.
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In spring 1943, strikes began at the Reggiane plant.
In spring 1943, strikes began at the Reggiane plant.
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Not in my department or in the tooling department, where some of my friends were arrested.
Not in my department or in the tooling department, where some of my friends were arrested.
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From then on I started some soul-searching: what was I really doing?
From then on I started some soul-searching: what was I really doing?
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I was working day and night to boost production for the war,
I was working day and night to boost production for the war,
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while war killed people.
while war killed people.
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I was shocked.
I was shocked.
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From that moment on I tried
From that moment on I tried
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to get in contact with the antifascists, but it was impossible.
to get in contact with the antifascists, but it was impossible.
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It was already the summer of ’43 when I went to Sassuolo to visit a friend.
It was already the summer of ’43 when I went to Sassuolo to visit a friend.
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I knew him as an antifascist, hoping he could help me to become part of the movement.
I knew him as an antifascist, hoping he could help me to become part of the movement.