European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I replied: “You don’t understand. I took part in the Resistance and I learned a lot from it.
I replied: “You don’t understand. I took part in the Resistance and I learned a lot from it.
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We did things you wouldn’t even imagine”.
We did things you wouldn’t even imagine”.
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It was hard to forgive…
It was hard to forgive…
Zu Vergeben war schwierig … -
We were all between 15 and 28 years old.
We were all between 15 and 28 years old.
Wir waren alle zwischen 15 und 28 Jahre alt. -
A boy called Francia wasn’t even fifteen.
A boy called Francia wasn’t even fifteen.
Ein Junge namens Francia war noch keine 15 Jahre alt. -
Another one from Guastalla, who’s still alive, was seventeen,
Another one from Guastalla, who’s still alive, was seventeen,
Ein anderer aus Guastalla war siebzehn, der lebt noch. -
the others were around 20-21 years old.
the others were around 20-21 years old.
Die anderen waren um die 20, 21 Jahre alt, alle so 20, 22, 23. -
There was one of us who was 28, who was married and father of a one-year old child.
There was one of us who was 28, who was married and father of a one-year old child.
Einer von uns war 28 Jahre alt, er war verheiratet und hatte ein einjähriges Kind. -
They arrested his wife, then they tortured her and raped her.
They arrested his wife, then they tortured her and raped her.
Seine Frau wurde verhaftet, sie folterten und vergewaltigten sie. -
From this story one can understand what happened after the war.
From this story one can understand what happened after the war.
Da kann man einige Taten in der Nachkriegszeit auch verstehen. -
Some felt they had to get vengeance for all the brutality of the fascists and the Germans.
Some felt they had to get vengeance for all the brutality of the fascists and the Germans.
Für die Grausamkeiten der Deutschen und der Faschisten hat sich manch einer gerächt. -
I’ve never agreed with retaliation: once the war is over everything is over.
I’ve never agreed with retaliation: once the war is over everything is over.
Ich war nie damit einverstanden Vergeltung zu üben. Mit dem Ende des Krieges war alles vorbei, das war erledigt. -
On the other hand, we have to put ourselves in the shoes of those partisans, or even civilians, who had to bear these episodes:
On the other hand, we have to put ourselves in the shoes of those partisans, or even civilians, who had to bear these episodes:
Versetzen wir uns aber mal in die Lage der Partisanen oder Zivilisten, die solche Gewalt erlitten hatten. -
It’s hard to caress your torturer’s cheek when you meet him after the war.
It’s hard to caress your torturer’s cheek when you meet him after the war.
Es ist schwer deinen Peiniger zu streicheln, wenn du ihn in so einem Moment wiedersiehst. -
We must understand what happened during the war.
We must understand what happened during the war.
müssen wir verstehen, was während des Kriegs passiert ist. -
These brutalities affected us too.
These brutalities affected us too.
Diese Grausamkeiten haben auch uns verdorben. -
These slaughters and the violence were something terrible for us.
These slaughters and the violence were something terrible for us.
Diese Massaker und Gewalttätigkeiten waren auch für uns schrecklich. -
Although I was a member of Azione Cattolica,
Although I was a member of Azione Cattolica,
Ich kam aber aus der "Azione Cattolica", -
I believed in the values of forgiveness and of similar principles,
I believed in the values of forgiveness and of similar principles,
ich war immer dafür zu Vergeben und so weiter. -
it was hard for me, too.
it was hard for me, too.
Aber - oh - das war auch für mich hart.