European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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shouting that “the coop was on fire”: that’s a moment I will never forget.
shouting that “the coop was on fire”: that’s a moment I will never forget.
dicendo “sta bruciando la cooperativa!”, questa è una cosa che non scorderò mai. -
From that day, I’ve never been a member of the Fascist Party.
From that day, I’ve never been a member of the Fascist Party.
Da quel problema io a una certa età non sono mai stato iscritto al fascio, -
There were also other reasons which kept me from taking up membership,-.
There were also other reasons which kept me from taking up membership,-.
anche per altre ragioni perché i giovani di quel periodo che erano iscritti al fascio -
such as the fact that the Fascist youth had to take part in military activities and all kinds of classes every Saturday,
such as the fact that the Fascist youth had to take part in military activities and all kinds of classes every Saturday,
tutti i sabati avevano dei problemi di militare, corsi e non corsi, e io sono riuscito -
an environment which I did not want to be involved in.
an environment which I did not want to be involved in.
a non prendere mai la tessera per non frequentare quell’ambiente. -
I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
I went to live in Villa Rivalta and I wasn’t even seventeen when I started working at Officine Reggiane.
Sono andato ad abitare a Villa Rivalta (qui dobbiamo entrare nel periodo delle Reggiane) e a neanche diciassette anni sono stato assunto alle Officine Reggiane: -
Even there, every day was a struggle.
Even there, every day was a struggle.
anche lì la lotta si faceva sempre, -
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
It was unpleasant to have to show a Fascist membership card for everything,
non era un bel vivere perché ogni cosa che si faceva in quel periodo dovevi sempre presentare la tessera del fascio -
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
and that’s another aspect which had me disagreeing with the fascists.
e questo per me è stato un motivo in più per non essere d’accordo con i fascisti. -
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Anything you did, or whatever you might have needed,
Perché ogni cosa per cui ti presentavi, per qualsiasi bisogno che avevi -
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
you were always expected to have your Fascist membership card with you.
dovevi sempre presentarti con la tessera del fascio in mano: -
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
I did not believe in this and didn’t want the card,
allora io che non ci credevo, non la volevo -
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
so I was forced to use alternative methods, those I had learned from my family,
e dovevo rimediare anch’io come potevo con i metodi che avevo ereditato dalla mia famiglia, -
my parents and my two older sisters.
my parents and my two older sisters.
dai miei genitori e anche da mie due sorelle che erano più vecchie di me. -
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
During the first three months of school we did writing exercises and we learned to count up to fifty.
A scuola nei primi tre mesi si facevano le aste, si imparava a contare fino a 50, -
Our teachers were not like the ones you might find today.
Our teachers were not like the ones you might find today.
perché poi le maestre non erano come quelle di adesso, -
I remember that my teacher was from Casalgrande and walked all the way to school and back, poor woman.
I remember that my teacher was from Casalgrande and walked all the way to school and back, poor woman.
la mia maestra era di Casalgrande, poveretta veniva a piedi e andava a casa a piedi. -
Going to school was not considered too important.
Going to school was not considered too important.
La scuola era quella lì, cioè io posso prendere -
Just take my case: as soon as I finished primary third grade, after I had failed second grade,
Just take my case: as soon as I finished primary third grade, after I had failed second grade,
il mio caso, quando ho completato la terza elementare, che ero anche stato bocciato in seconda, -
I stopped attending school.
I stopped attending school.
non sono più andato a scuola: