European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
-
The Germans had set the village on fire as well as the crop and the wheat on the fields.
The Germans had set the village on fire as well as the crop and the wheat on the fields.
i tedeschi avevano bruciato tutto il paese e bruciato anche i raccolti, il grano sui campi, hanno bruciato anche quello lì… -
It was really a depressing view.
It was really a depressing view.
era una cosa desolante, proprio. -
There were around thirty of us of the Bedeschi detachment, yet unhurt.
There were around thirty of us of the Bedeschi detachment, yet unhurt.
E noi che eravamo ancora intatti, eravamo una trentina lì del distaccamento Bedeschi, -
There was also one of the detachments from Modena who had been joining forces with us at the beginning.
There was also one of the detachments from Modena who had been joining forces with us at the beginning.
poi c’era un distaccamento modenese che era uno di quelli che collaboravano con noi nei primi tempi. -
We gathered in Costabona,
We gathered in Costabona,
Ci siamo uniti lì a Costabona, -
determined to fight the Germans,
determined to fight the Germans,
decisi di affrontare i tedeschi, -
who had occupied the whole area. (I was looking at the map the other day).
who had occupied the whole area. (I was looking at the map the other day).
che oramai (guardavo anche la piantina l’altro giorno) i tedeschi avevano occupato tutta la zona. -
It was difficult for us to get moving during the night.
It was difficult for us to get moving during the night.
Però anche per noi era dura sganciarsi durante la notte. -
“Let’s stay here, we’ll carry out our resistance tomorrow”.
“Let’s stay here, we’ll carry out our resistance tomorrow”.
“Stiamo qui, domani facciamo resistenza”. -
We also had a mortar,
We also had a mortar,
Avevamo anche un mortaio, ecc. -
but before we could do anything we had to blow up the Secchiello Bridge.
but before we could do anything we had to blow up the Secchiello Bridge.
e infatti… Però prima di fare… dobbiamo far saltare il ponte del Secchiello. -
I went down on one side to be safe and then made it under the bridge.
I went down on one side to be safe and then made it under the bridge.
Sono andato giù io da una parte, prima, per protezione, e poi sono andato sotto il ponte, -
The Germans were already on the Secchiello bridge.
The Germans were already on the Secchiello bridge.
ma quel ponte lì era già controllato dai tedeschi. I tedeschi erano già sul Secchiello... -
It was also quite a hard bridge to blow up.
It was also quite a hard bridge to blow up.
che era anche difficile da far saltare… -
I took advantage of the confusion, went under the bridge and set the mines.
I took advantage of the confusion, went under the bridge and set the mines.
però dato tutto questo casino che c’era vado sotto, metto le mine, -
The bridge was made of iron, but there was a rock, quiet high.
The bridge was made of iron, but there was a rock, quiet high.
il ponte era in ferro però prima del ponte c’era un sasso che era alto quasi come questo piano… -
I lit the fuse and jumped off. It was a question of seconds.
I lit the fuse and jumped off. It was a question of seconds.
io accendo la miccia, faccio un salto ed è un attimo… -
However the Germans heard some noise when I lit the fuse.They shot some rockets.
However the Germans heard some noise when I lit the fuse.They shot some rockets.
ma i tedeschi, quando ho acceso la miccia, si vede che han sentito un po’ di movimento han lanciato dei razzi, dei bengala, -
I had jumped right away and hid behind the rock.
I had jumped right away and hid behind the rock.
ma io ho fatto il salto subito, quando i bengala sono andati su, e mi sono messo dietro il sasso. -
My comrades already knew that they would have to shoot when the Germans fired to give me a chance to draw back.
My comrades already knew that they would have to shoot when the Germans fired to give me a chance to draw back.
I nostri sapevano già che loro, quando i tedeschi sparavano, dovevano sparare anche loro per darmi la possibilità della ritirata, in poche parole.