European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We agreed before we became soldiers
We agreed before we became soldiers
wobei ich dazu sagen muss, wir haben vorher abgesprochen wenn wir Soldat werden, -
we would never shoot somebody who had been said to be an enemy.
we would never shoot somebody who had been said to be an enemy.
wir schießen nie auf jemanden der uns als Feind bezeichnet wird. -
We would shoot into the air, we would never shoot anybody, except in self defence.
We would shoot into the air, we would never shoot anybody, except in self defence.
Wir schießen in die Luft, wir erschießen niemanden, außer in Notwehr, das ist etwas ganz anderes. -
I kept going on with my illegal work.
I kept going on with my illegal work.
Ich habe dort illegal weiter gearbeitet, -
In the military hospital in Tripoli I was approached by an anti-fascist medical group
In the military hospital in Tripoli I was approached by an anti-fascist medical group
z.B. bin ich in Tripolis im Lazarett angesprochen worden von einer Antifa-Sani-Gruppe -
and an anti-fascist radio operator group,
and an anti-fascist radio operator group,
und von einer Antifafunker- Gruppe, -
whether I would be able to get fuses, as in Benghazi some comrades were ready to blow something up.
whether I would be able to get fuses, as in Benghazi some comrades were ready to blow something up.
ob ich nicht Zündschnüre besorgen könnte. In Bengasi wären Genossen die wären also bereit eine Sprengung durchzuführen. -
They had enough explosives, but no fuses.
They had enough explosives, but no fuses.
Sprengstoff hätten sie genug, aber keine Zündschnüre. -
I had to organize this by taking the alarm post together with two reliable men.
I had to organize this by taking the alarm post together with two reliable men.
Das musste ich dann so organisieren, dass ich mit zwei verlässlichen Leuten die Wache übernahm. -
Convalescent soldiers from the military hospital were used for that and there we got the fuses.
Convalescent soldiers from the military hospital were used for that and there we got the fuses.
Da wurden ja Lazarettsoldaten abgestellt, also genesende Soldaten, weil nicht genügend vorhanden waren und da haben wir dann halt Zündschnüre besorgt. -
A few days later, in Benghazi, a quarter of the biggest ammunition depot the Rommel-army kept in Africa was blown up.
A few days later, in Benghazi, a quarter of the biggest ammunition depot the Rommel-army kept in Africa was blown up.
Ein paar Tage später flog dann in Bengasi, vom größten Munitionslager, dass die Rommel-Armee in Afrika unterhält, flog ein Viertel in die Luft. -
With this a difficult problem emerged:
With this a difficult problem emerged:
Da tauchte dann für uns ein schwieriges Problem auf. -
Six Arabs and one German soldier were shot dead,
Six Arabs and one German soldier were shot dead,
Da wurden dann also sechs Araber und ein deutscher Soldat erschossen, -
who had not participated at all and now the question came up:
who had not participated at all and now the question came up:
die überhaupt nicht daran beteiligt waren und da stellte sich für uns die Frage: -
“It is your fault that innocent people got shot by the ‘Wehrmacht’!”
“It is your fault that innocent people got shot by the ‘Wehrmacht’!”
"Du bist daran schuld, dass Unschuldige von der Wehrmacht erschossen wurden!" -
It had to be weighed up: Which side has to take the higher blame?
It had to be weighed up: Which side has to take the higher blame?
Da war natürlich abzuwägen, wo ist die Schuld größer? -
If you don’t do anything against this criminal regime,
If you don’t do anything against this criminal regime,
Wenn du nichts gegen dieses Verbrecherregime unternimmst, -
if you join in silently, how much are you then to blame?
if you join in silently, how much are you then to blame?
wenn du schweigend alles mit machst, welche Schuld lädst du dann auf dich? -
War costs so many deaths - don’t you have to consider
War costs so many deaths - don’t you have to consider
Wenn die vielen Toten die der Krieg kostet oder musst du nicht auf dein Gewissen nehmen, -
that even innocent people loose their life in the fight against fascism?
that even innocent people loose their life in the fight against fascism?
dass im Kampf gegen den Faschismus auch Unschuldige ihr Leben verlieren?