European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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My father used to make cheese at home, that type of cheese which is sought-after today while we hated it then because
My father used to make cheese at home, that type of cheese which is sought-after today while we hated it then because
perché mio padre faceva un formaggio in casa, quelle formaggine che adesso sono cercate e allora noi le odiavamo -
we had it all the time
we had it all the time
perché mangiavamo sempre quelle. -
and he drank a whole pot of milk.
and he drank a whole pot of milk.
E ha bevuto un tegame di latte, -
The pot was on the table in order to make cheese, and he drank it all.
The pot was on the table in order to make cheese, and he drank it all.
era sul tavolo proprio per preparare il formaggio. Ha bevuto un tegame di latte. -
My father stared at him in an admiring way, he had been a prisoner too, but not one bad word against him…
My father stared at him in an admiring way, he had been a prisoner too, but not one bad word against him…
E si era riunita tanta gente intorno. E mio padre lo guardava ammirato, perché è stato anche prigioniero lui, però non una parola cattiva nei suoi confronti, proprio come vedere uno... -
He was my age, maybe a few years older.
He was my age, maybe a few years older.
avrà avuto la mia età, poco più, insomma ecco. -
After that I took him to Ligonchio,
After that I took him to Ligonchio,
E poi l’ho accompagnato a Ligonchio -
and a comrade from Busana told me afterwards that he guided him and two other Germans who were already there
and a comrade from Busana told me afterwards that he guided him and two other Germans who were already there
che dopo mi ha raccontato uno di Busana che l’ha accompagnato lui insieme a altri due tedeschi che erano già lì... -
to Silano and through the front, to the Allies.
to Silano and through the front, to the Allies.
Li ha accompagnati a Silano e gli hanno fatto passare il fronte e sono andati con gli alleati, insomma ecco. -
For the whole time we did not speak. We stopped at a well to have a drink,
For the whole time we did not speak. We stopped at a well to have a drink,
Ma provato insomma, cosa vuoi, stavamo quasi sempre zitti. Ci siamo fermati lì ad una fontanella a bere -
we where just like two boys, he was than already like a lamb, disarmed.
we where just like two boys, he was than already like a lamb, disarmed.
ed eravamo come dei ragazzi, capisci? Lui ormai era come un agnello a questo punto, disarmato. -
Later, another partisan came with me, from Lingonchio on,
Later, another partisan came with me, from Lingonchio on,
Dopo venendo su a Ligonchio é venuto su anche un’altro armato con me -
a former Carabinieri who now is dead, Nello Coli, also from my village.
a former Carabinieri who now is dead, Nello Coli, also from my village.
che era un ex-Carabiniere, che adesso é morto, Nello Coli, qui del paese anche lui. -
Mining a bridge; Sabotaging flow of German troops
Mining a bridge; Sabotaging flow of German troops
Minare un ponte per ostacolare tedeschi -
We were receiving reports of troops coming back from the front, from Garfagnana,
We were receiving reports of troops coming back from the front, from Garfagnana,
Arrivavano delle segnalazioni che c’erano delle truppe che tornavano dal fronte, dalla Garfagnana -
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on the road going through Fivizzano and the Cerreto pass and towards Castelnovo Monti.
on the road going through Fivizzano and the Cerreto pass and towards Castelnovo Monti.
e facevano la strada di Fivizzano e il valico del Cerreto e venivano verso Castelnovo Monti, verso la pianura -
They were sending new troops to the front, by that time they had been there two or three months.
They were sending new troops to the front, by that time they had been there two or three months.
Mettevano truppe fresche al fronte insomma, ormai erano 2 o 3 mesi che erano lì. -
So we received this order to lay mines, but there weren’t any bridges left!
So we received this order to lay mines, but there weren’t any bridges left!
Allora arriva quest'ordine di minare, minare... che cosa vuoi minare, ormai dei ponti non ce n'erano più. -
There was only this small thing we used to call the “fognone” (big sewer).
There was only this small thing we used to call the “fognone” (big sewer).
C’era rimasta un affarino lì, che lo chiamavamo “il fognone” noi.