European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We told him to come forward,
We told him to come forward,
“Vieni avanti col fucile in mano”, -
then we arrested him, questioned him for some news, and took him to the command.
then we arrested him, questioned him for some news, and took him to the command.
e l’abbiamo arrestato e poi gli abbiamo chiesto notizie, e l’abbiamo portato al comando. -
There we saw Barbolini’s sister, Sonia, who was desperate.
There we saw Barbolini’s sister, Sonia, who was desperate.
Al comando c’era ancora la sorella di Barbolini, Sonia, disperata: -
Our wounded men had already been taken there.
Our wounded men had already been taken there.
lì c’erano già i feriti, i nostri. -
She told us that a German unit from Cinque Cerri was on its way.
She told us that a German unit from Cinque Cerri was on its way.
E ha detto che c’era in arrivo un… diciamo una compagnia tedesca, che veniva da Cinque Cerri; -
If that company made it over there, it would have been a slaughtering for us.
If that company made it over there, it would have been a slaughtering for us.
se fosse arrivata quella compagnia lì, sarebbe stato per noi una carneficina, -
We didn’t have enough cover to draw back since the mountain behind us had more than a meter of snow.
We didn’t have enough cover to draw back since the mountain behind us had more than a meter of snow.
perchè noi non avevamo la copertura per ritirarci, perchè alle nostre spalle c’era la montagna dove c’era la neve, ma c’era più di un metro di neve. -
If we withdrew like that they would have shot us.
If we withdrew like that they would have shot us.
Se noi ci fossimo ritirati in quel modo loro ci avrebbero sparato, non c’era niente da fare. -
It was almost noon at that point,
It was almost noon at that point,
E allora siamo arrivati a circa mezzogiorno che ancora -
and it wasn’t clear if we were winning or losing the battle.
and it wasn’t clear if we were winning or losing the battle.
non si sapeva la sorte della battaglia, se pendeva a nostro favore o sfavore. -
Then the fascists started singing “Battaglione”.
Then the fascists started singing “Battaglione”.
Un bel momento i fascisti cantano “Battaglione”; -
“Battaglioni” was a song which read:
“Battaglioni” was a song which read:
“Battaglioni” era una canzone, diceva: -
“Battalions of the Duce, death squads, created for life,
“Battalions of the Duce, death squads, created for life,
“Battaglioni del duce, battaglioni, della morte create per la vita, -
in spring we’ll take part in the battle of Mussolini, brave troops…”
in spring we’ll take part in the battle of Mussolini, brave troops…”
a primavera ritorna la… faremo la partita di Mussolini, armate di valore…” qualcosa del genere. -
They sang for 5 or 10 minutes.
They sang for 5 or 10 minutes.
Hanno cantato per cinque o dieci minuti. -
After a while our side was singing “Bandiera rossa”:
After a while our side was singing “Bandiera rossa”:
Dopo un po’ i nostri cantavano “Bandiera rossa”, -
“Bandiera rossa, let’s go, at arms, etc.”
“Bandiera rossa, let’s go, at arms, etc.”
“Bandiera rossa” così: “Bandiera rossa, avanti alla riscossa ecc.”, la canzone. -
I was really surprised because I didn’t even know these songs, not even “Bandiera rossa”.
I was really surprised because I didn’t even know these songs, not even “Bandiera rossa”.
Io sono rimasto meravigliato perché queste canzoni io poi non le conoscevo neanche, neanche “Bandiera rossa”… sono rimasto lì. -
What happened next?
What happened next?
Allora che cos’era successo: -
The fascists had found out that there was a column of people coming.
The fascists had found out that there was a column of people coming.
che i fascisti avevano scoperto che c’era una colonna che stava arrivando, di persone.