European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
They bought a house on Dalmazia Street
They bought a house on Dalmazia Street
hanno comperato una casa lì in via Dalmazia, -
and my life changed completely.
and my life changed completely.
e anche per me la vita cambia completamente; -
coming from the traditions, the farm life, which was based on conservatism, the traditionalism, having to be careful about what you said...
coming from the traditions, the farm life, which was based on conservatism, the traditionalism, having to be careful about what you said...
perché dalla tradizione, dalla cultura contadina che è fatta di conservatorismo, di tradizionalismo per cui “stai attenta a quel che dici”, “chissà che cosa dicono”... -
and the women were constantly being treated like nobodies.
and the women were constantly being treated like nobodies.
poi le donne costantemente considerate una nullità, -
In fact, I used to be told even in my own home, "Shut up. You are a woman."
In fact, I used to be told even in my own home, "Shut up. You are a woman."
infatti “taci che sei una donna” me lo sentivo dire anche in casa mia. -
And my mother, poor woman, thought this was right.
And my mother, poor woman, thought this was right.
Mia madre poi, poveretta, ne aveva un culto di queste cose. -
Here, I instead started meeting women that went to work
Here, I instead started meeting women that went to work
Qui incontro invece le donne che vanno a lavorare, -
and Dalmazia Street was a street where the working-class elites of the city lived.
and Dalmazia Street was a street where the working-class elites of the city lived.
e soprattutto via Dalmazia è una via dove abita l’élite operaia della città. -
There were factory technicians, gas technicians, water technicians.
There were factory technicians, gas technicians, water technicians.
Vi erano i tecnici delle Reggiane, i tecnici del gas, i tecnici dell’acqua, cioè... -
They were a very bright, mature and well-prepared group of working class people.
They were a very bright, mature and well-prepared group of working class people.
c’è un tipo di classe operaia molto consapevole, molto matura, molto preparata, -
We moved there in 1938; I had just turned 17. We had a restaurant with a bar.
We moved there in 1938; I had just turned 17. We had a restaurant with a bar.
e gli anziani siccome io sono sempre stata molto curiosa, io siccome avevamo un ristorante, allora si chiamava trattoria, e avevamo il bar, il gioco da bocce, ecc. -
Although I was quite young, I was very curious. I had always been like that.
Although I was quite young, I was very curious. I had always been like that.
io pur ragazzina, perché avevo… siam venuti nel ’38 a Reggio, avevo appena 17 anni, ero estremamente curiosa -
The older men liked me. They started to explain to me what I had known only in general terms.
The older men liked me. They started to explain to me what I had known only in general terms.
e gli uomini anziani mi avevano preso a ben volere, e hanno cominciato a spiegarmi quello che io sapevo… relativamente, -
What fascism really was, the real reasons behind its existence,
What fascism really was, the real reasons behind its existence,
cioè cos’era praticamente il fascismo, che per me era solo violenza, era solo ignoranza, -
for it was only violence and ignorance to me at that time.
for it was only violence and ignorance to me at that time.
caratteristiche peculiari del fascismo, ma esisteva anche una ragione dell’esistenza del fascismo; -
These men were generally Communists and Socialists.
These men were generally Communists and Socialists.
e hanno cominciato a spiegarmi questo. Loro erano la maggior parte socialisti e comunisti, ecco… -
I began to understand and to see things from a different point of view that attracted me more.
I began to understand and to see things from a different point of view that attracted me more.
io ho cominciato a capire, ad avere una dimensione diversa della realtà e muovermi di più in questa dimensione. -
I had made friends with the young men who came to our bar.
I had made friends with the young men who came to our bar.
Allora qui siccome io sono, ero sempre nel bar, i giovani che venivano eravamo diventati amici; -
When they left for war I became their communication point.
When they left for war I became their communication point.
quando sono partiti per la guerra io ero diventata il loro punto di riferimento: -
They were writing from Africa,
They were writing from Africa,
ti scrivevano dall’Africa,