European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Maria and I agreed on the following plan. I’d go to the mountains by train.
Maria and I agreed on the following plan. I’d go to the mountains by train.
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I’d get the Reggio-Ciano train at the station, put my bicycle on the coach and get on.
I’d get the Reggio-Ciano train at the station, put my bicycle on the coach and get on.
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Maria was supposed to look at where I was sitting, and come inside.
Maria was supposed to look at where I was sitting, and come inside.
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We’d pretend we didn’t know each other.
We’d pretend we didn’t know each other.
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She would put the package in front of me, at the end of the compartment, and leave.
She would put the package in front of me, at the end of the compartment, and leave.
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They often checked the suitcases.
They often checked the suitcases.
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We figured that if they found the package, nobody could have told whose it was.
We figured that if they found the package, nobody could have told whose it was.
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Everything went alright until San Polo, where the train was surrounded. The fascist police started searching.
Everything went alright until San Polo, where the train was surrounded. The fascist police started searching.
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They looked all over the place, under the seats, inside the packages and suitcases.
They looked all over the place, under the seats, inside the packages and suitcases.
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But they didn’t notice my package. It was covered with some newspapers.
But they didn’t notice my package. It was covered with some newspapers.
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When I arrived in Ciano I left the bicycle at the station and followed the Enza river.
When I arrived in Ciano I left the bicycle at the station and followed the Enza river.
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Then I asked them to come pick up this damned radio, because it was almost a 5 km walk from Ciano to Cerresola.
Then I asked them to come pick up this damned radio, because it was almost a 5 km walk from Ciano to Cerresola.
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It wasn’t a very nice journey with that thing. I had no chance of getting through the police blocks, so I solved the problem that way.
It wasn’t a very nice journey with that thing. I had no chance of getting through the police blocks, so I solved the problem that way.
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Hiding weapons; developing awareness
Hiding weapons; developing awareness
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At home, my father took care of the problem of ammunition.
At home, my father took care of the problem of ammunition.
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Since he bottled wine, we had crates full of bottles in the cellar ready to be delivered.
Since he bottled wine, we had crates full of bottles in the cellar ready to be delivered.
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He had made holes in the crates where he would stuff the ammunition. Then he closed them.
He had made holes in the crates where he would stuff the ammunition. Then he closed them.
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Our kitchen was right over the cellar.
Our kitchen was right over the cellar.
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The cellar had a vaulted ceiling with an empty space between the vaults.
The cellar had a vaulted ceiling with an empty space between the vaults.
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My father had taken off some tiles in the kitchen over one of these spaces.
My father had taken off some tiles in the kitchen over one of these spaces.