European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
The 999 Bataillon
The 999 Bataillon
Divisione penale 999 -
The political prisoners, who were unworthy for the army, were living in Germany.
The political prisoners, who were unworthy for the army, were living in Germany.
La situazione era: i prigionieri politici che non erano degni di combattere, vivevano in Germania. -
And the Germans were dying at all possible fronts.
And the Germans were dying at all possible fronts.
I tedeschi stavano morendo su tutti i fronti. -
Slowly but surely, they were short on personnel.
Slowly but surely, they were short on personnel.
Iniziava a mancare il personale -
So there was the idea to establish these as kamikaze mission you just throw in.
So there was the idea to establish these as kamikaze mission you just throw in.
e l'idea era di addestrarci per una missione suicida, -
That was why we were militarily equipped like a self-dependent unit,
That was why we were militarily equipped like a self-dependent unit,
perciò eravamo armati come unità autonome -
we were able to absorb counter strikes of the allies.
we were able to absorb counter strikes of the allies.
per poter reagire agli attacchi degli alleati. -
If we would have moved back, we would have been shot down from behind.
If we would have moved back, we would have been shot down from behind.
Se fossimo tornati indietro, ci avrebbero sparato alle spalle. -
We were downright kamikaze missions.
We were downright kamikaze missions.
Si trattava veramente di missioni suicide. -
That is how it was meant for the bigger units, for divisions.
That is how it was meant for the bigger units, for divisions.
Era l'idea di fondo per le grandi unità e divisioni. -
And that was how the operations were.
And that was how the operations were.
E questo è come avvenivano le missioni. -
Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Era tipico che ci mandassero in un pendio: -
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
dopo il primo colpo, l'artiglieria americana ci avrebbe annientato. -
No one would have survived.
No one would have survived.
Nesssuno sarebbe sopravvissuto. -
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
Lo stesso avvenne in altre operazioni militari su altri fronti. -
Literature about this does exist.
Literature about this does exist.
C'è un'intera letteratura che ne parla. -
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
L'obbiettivo era di annientare i prigionieri politici. Non dovevano sopravvivere in guerra, ma crepare. -
The companies were assembled as follows:
The companies were assembled as follows:
Le compagnie erano composte così: -
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
un terzo erano prigionieri politici, un terzo criminali, un terzo ufficiali, sottufficiali -
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
e caporali, praticamente tutti nazisti. Questa era la composizione.