European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
In front of my house there was a space we called the “palace”,
Io arrivo davanti a casa mia, volto, sono in bicicletta, volto... però davanti a casa mia c’era una... lo chiamavamo “la Reggia” -
where we used to put tables and chairs in the summer.
where we used to put tables and chairs in the summer.
perché era tutto lastricato dove noi mettevamo d’estate i tavoli con le sedie, ecc. -
As I got there, a German unit with a machine gun told me to stop.
As I got there, a German unit with a machine gun told me to stop.
C’è una formazione tedesca con una mitragliatrice “Alt!”, -
I replied: “It’s my house!”
I replied: “It’s my house!”
e io dico: “Casa mia. Io, casa mia! Io! Casa mia!”. -
The soldier just told me: “Halt, raus!”.
The soldier just told me: “Halt, raus!”.
E quello: “Alt, raus!”. -
I didn’t understand any German, but “raus” meant go away, leave.
I didn’t understand any German, but “raus” meant go away, leave.
Io, che non capisco un’acca di tedesco, però raus voleva dire “togliti dai piedi”, cioè “va via”, -
I told him: “That’s my house; I have to fix dinner for my brothers”.
I told him: “That’s my house; I have to fix dinner for my brothers”.
io continuo: “Ma io, casa mia... fare da mangiare per i miei fratelli”, -
Again, he replied: “Raus, schnell, schnell!” and pointed the gun at me.
Again, he replied: “Raus, schnell, schnell!” and pointed the gun at me.
e lui: “Raus! Schnell, Schnell!”. E mi punta il fucile. -
I quietly went back with my bicycle and met Maria, who had the same thing happening to her.
I quietly went back with my bicycle and met Maria, who had the same thing happening to her.
Allora io, quatta quatta, torno indietro con la mia bicicletta e incontro la Maria, che su per giù ha avuto la stessa cosa; -
It’s not the fear of the gun,
It’s not the fear of the gun,
senti, è stato un momento... non è la paura del fucile, -
it’s realizing that you’re absolutely nothing to them.
it’s realizing that you’re absolutely nothing to them.
ma in quel momento ti sei resa conto che tu non vali niente, -
These men in uniform, who looked like cockroaches,
These men in uniform, who looked like cockroaches,
che uomini in divisa che sembravano tanti scarafaggi, in divisa, -
who spoke a language you didn’t know because they weren’t even from your own country,
who spoke a language you didn’t know because they weren’t even from your own country,
che parlano una lingua che tu non conosci, perché non sono nemmeno del tuo paese, -
not only could keep you from going inside your home, but also had the power to kill you.
not only could keep you from going inside your home, but also had the power to kill you.
hanno non solo il potere di impedirti di entrare in casa, ma hanno anche il potere di ucciderti, -
You were nothing to them; you were less than a bug.
You were nothing to them; you were less than a bug.
per cui tu sei niente nei confronti di loro, per loro vali meno di un insetto. -
It’s shocking.
It’s shocking.
Bada che è una cosa terribile, cioè non era... -
Maybe we weren’t prepared for this,
Maybe we weren’t prepared for this,
forse non eravamo preparati a questo, non eri preparata a questo, -
but it was the reaction of a young girl who by then had already suffered from bombings,
but it was the reaction of a young girl who by then had already suffered from bombings,
però è la reazione di una ragazza di pochi anni che già ha sofferto bombardamenti, -
from seeing soldiers being captured.
from seeing soldiers being captured.
ha sofferto vedere i soldati presi fatti prigionieri, -
The older men, who had fought in the First World War, were talking about concentration camps.
The older men, who had fought in the First World War, were talking about concentration camps.
i nostri uomini anziani che avevano fatto la Prima Guerra Mondiale che dicevano: “Ma se li portano in campo di concentramento...”.