European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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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: -
It’s not like someone stopped me from going, it’s just that it was enough to learn the basics of reading and writing.
It’s not like someone stopped me from going, it’s just that it was enough to learn the basics of reading and writing.
non era una cattiveria di qualcuno, è che allora quando uno sapeva leggere e scrivere aveva già risolto il problema: -
Later, in the army, I used to write letters for a fellow soldier from Guastalla and two more who were from the mountains.
Later, in the army, I used to write letters for a fellow soldier from Guastalla and two more who were from the mountains.
ti posso aggiungere anche qualcosa di diverso, io militare scrivevo per uno di Guastalla e due amici della montagna, -
They were my age but didn’t know how to write: I was not better than them, but I had gone to school until third grade.
They were my age but didn’t know how to write: I was not better than them, but I had gone to school until third grade.
perché non sapevano scrivere e avevano la mia età, cioè io avevo fatto la terza elementare, non è che fossi superiore però il mio problema era già stato risolto. -
Reflecting history
Reflecting history
Riflettere sul passato -
I care about these stories.
I care about these stories.
Vedi, io ci tengo in quanto, come dire, -
Not so much for myself.
Not so much for myself.
non è per me stessa, -
Rather for the benefit they convey to those who listen and want to think about them.
Rather for the benefit they convey to those who listen and want to think about them.
ma ci tengo consapevole dell’utilità di chi ascolta queste cose e che vuole riflettere su queste cose. -
It was real life.
It was real life.
Perché è una realtà di vita, -
I’m not exaggerating things, even those episodes that are quite sensational.
I’m not exaggerating things, even those episodes that are quite sensational.
vedi che io non esagero, anzi certi episodi che sono eclatanti me li sono, come dire... non li presento per quello che sono,