European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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“If you go to the mountains, you could take us there with you”.
“If you go to the mountains, you could take us there with you”.
“Ma tu vai su, magari ci devi portare in montagna”, -
Every now and then I would take some of them first to one place, then to another, until they would join a partisan unit.
Every now and then I would take some of them first to one place, then to another, until they would join a partisan unit.
allora prendevo su ogni tanto qualche ragazzo e li portavo una volta qui, una volta là, a seconda come arrivavano allora dicevano: “Beh allora ci fermiamo con questi partigiani”. -
I would often go to Don Carlo, who was also a partisan, and would leave these boys with him.
I would often go to Don Carlo, who was also a partisan, and would leave these boys with him.
E andavo molto lì da Don Carlo, che era poi di quelli lì, e allora li lasciavo qui questi ragazzi. -
Then there were the Davoli brothers. Kiss was the commander of the dispatch-carriers.
Then there were the Davoli brothers. Kiss was the commander of the dispatch-carriers.
Poi c’erano i Davoli, i Davoli... Kiss il comandante delle staffette, -
He was from Reggio, and he was the landlord of the house where my mother was born.
He was from Reggio, and he was the landlord of the house where my mother was born.
che era di Reggio ed era proprio il padrone di casa dove era nata mia madre, -
Then one day he told my mother he had to go to the mountains.
Then one day he told my mother he had to go to the mountains.
allora dopo... niente lui ha detto: “Io devo andare in montagna”. E l’ha detto con mia madre, -
He told her he would come to our house and then from there he would head uphill, so my mother replied that I could take him.
He told her he would come to our house and then from there he would head uphill, so my mother replied that I could take him.
dice: “Io devo andare in montagna, vengo a casa vostra e poi dopo di lì...”, allora dice mia mamma: “Beh va bene – dice – vieni che mia figlia ti porta su”. E allora ci siamo andati. -
He came from a family with money, lots of it.
He came from a family with money, lots of it.
Era un ragazzo di famiglia molto buona, molto... -
We went to the mountains together and then he reached the Central Headquarters.
We went to the mountains together and then he reached the Central Headquarters.
E niente, allora è andato su, è andato al comando unico, al comando unico -
There he met Gordon and some other “special” boys, so Don Carlo suggested they could join the English unit.
There he met Gordon and some other “special” boys, so Don Carlo suggested they could join the English unit.
poi lui si è trovato con Gordon, quello che è morto ieri, e dei ragazzi un po’ speciali e allora Don Carlo dice: “Io direi di affidarvi alla missione inglese” -
At that time paratroopers were starting to be dropped in the area,
At that time paratroopers were starting to be dropped in the area,
che cominciavano a venire giù dei paracadutisti. -
and they had set up the English command with radio transmitters in Secchio.
and they had set up the English command with radio transmitters in Secchio.
Allora infatti, allora hanno messo a Secchio il comando della missione inglese, con i trasmettitori, come si dice... con quegli affari lì da trasmettere che avevano, allora dice: “Io mi appoggio lì”. -
They asked the Central Headquarters to provide them with around 25 skilled partisans,
They asked the Central Headquarters to provide them with around 25 skilled partisans,
Allora hanno scelto fra questi del comando unico si sono fatti dare 23-24 partigiani, fra quelli un po’ scelti, -
who had been there for a while and were well trained.
who had been there for a while and were well trained.
fra quelli che era già un po’ che erano lì, che erano bravi che erano... -
You have to realise that at the beginning there were all sorts of people in the mountains,
You have to realise that at the beginning there were all sorts of people in the mountains,
perché sa, purtroppo lì i primi tempi specialmente c’è un po’ di tutto e allora sai, -
but the English only wanted experienced men, so 25 partisans were chosen to join them.
but the English only wanted experienced men, so 25 partisans were chosen to join them.
volevano proprio delle persone molto serie, così, niente. E c’erano questi, questi 25 che sono andati sotto la missione inglese. -
Then they had to set up a dispatch-carriers unit,
Then they had to set up a dispatch-carriers unit,
Ah dopo io, allora hanno cominciato a dire: “Ma adesso dobbiamo organizzare delle staffette”, -
and I was the only one assigned to Reggio, at the local headquarters.
and I was the only one assigned to Reggio, at the local headquarters.
ma dice: “Tu sei destinata a Reggio, solo tu, perché tu, c’è un comando qui a Reggio”, -
I was told to go see a group of men I already knew. There was Grandi, a lawyer, Piccinini, an architect, and the Count Calvi.
I was told to go see a group of men I already knew. There was Grandi, a lawyer, Piccinini, an architect, and the Count Calvi.
e io dovevo andare da questi, io già conoscevo. C’era l’avvocato Grandi, Piccinini che era architetto, il conte Calvi. -
They were six initially, then Mattia told me that one was killed.
They were six initially, then Mattia told me that one was killed.
Erano sei poi dopo due, uno l’hanno ammazzato mi ha detto Mattia e l’altro non so.