European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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taking advantage of the wartime industry. You have to imagine that men were at war
taking advantage of the wartime industry. You have to imagine that men were at war
C’era l’industria bellica. Gli uomini erano al fronte . -
while women were left at home to look after the children and take care of the family.
while women were left at home to look after the children and take care of the family.
Voi dovete immaginare gli uomini al fronte e le donne a casa ad accudire i bambini e a tirare avanti la famiglia. -
We were very happy and felt like being born again.
We were very happy and felt like being born again.
Noi esultammo in modo incredibile, ci sembrava di rinascere. -
With two of my friends, those in the picture, we took an old flag. I don’t know where we found it, but we left on our bicycles.
With two of my friends, those in the picture, we took an old flag. I don’t know where we found it, but we left on our bicycles.
Mi ricordo che prendemmo io e due, tre mie amiche, quelle della foto, prendemmo una vecchia bandiera. Una bandiera non so come l’avevamo rimediata, so solo che partimmo in bicicletta, -
I was in the middle while they were on the sides, and we set off a parade in the country roads.
I was in the middle while they were on the sides, and we set off a parade in the country roads.
io e le mie due amiche, io davanti e le mie due amiche ai lati e cominciammo un corteo, lungo le stradine di campagna. -
Everybody was in the streets, so the parade grew more and more.
Everybody was in the streets, so the parade grew more and more.
La gente era tutta fuori dalle case e quindi il corteo si ingrandiva sempre di più, diventava sempre più numeroso. -
From Castellazzo to Reggio it is seven or eight km.
From Castellazzo to Reggio it is seven or eight km.
Abbiamo fatto, dunque c’erano da Castellazzo a Reggio, c’era circa 7-8 Km. -
A whole group of youths – since the older ones were at war – rode their bicycles all the way to the city.
A whole group of youths – since the older ones were at war – rode their bicycles all the way to the city.
Quindi tutti in bicicletta, tutti giovani, giovanissimi perché gli altri erano militari, e quindi arrivammo a Reggio. -
Mussolini’s writings were everywhere:
Mussolini’s writings were everywhere:
Un po’ dappertutto c’erano le scritte di Mussolini -
“Credere, obbedire, combattere” (Believe, obey, fight);
“Credere, obbedire, combattere” (Believe, obey, fight);
“Credere, obbedire, combattere”, -
“L’aratro traccia il solco e la spada lo difende” (The plough cuts furrows, the sword protects them).
“L’aratro traccia il solco e la spada lo difende” (The plough cuts furrows, the sword protects them).
“Il solco traccia…”, no, “L’aratro traccia il solco e la spada lo difende”. Questo era scritto un po’ dappertutto, -
Some boys managed to find paint and went up the ladders to cover them.
Some boys managed to find paint and went up the ladders to cover them.
allora i ragazzi su per le scale con della vernice, improvvisata non so come, a cancellare queste cose… -
They also tried to pull down some of the monuments, the fasces or Mussolini’s busts.
They also tried to pull down some of the monuments, the fasces or Mussolini’s busts.
e dove c’erano le insegne non so i fasci o i busti del duce, cercavano di tirarli giù. -
Confusion was rather high at that moment.
Confusion was rather high at that moment.
Insomma c’era una gran confusione. -
The situation seemed to turn more complex, since we still had a King.
The situation seemed to turn more complex, since we still had a King.
Man mano che passavano i giorni la situazione diventava sempre un po’ più complicata, perché il re c’era ancora… -
Then September 8th 1943 arrived.
Then September 8th 1943 arrived.
Poi arrivò l’8 settembre. -
That day we didn’t listen to the radio, since nobody had one.
That day we didn’t listen to the radio, since nobody had one.
L’8 settembre mi ricordo ancora che sentimmo no la radio no perché nessuno aveva la radio, -
But the news moved fast, on our bicycles.
But the news moved fast, on our bicycles.
però le notizie, come dicevo prima, circolavano sulle ruote delle biciclette, ma erano rapidissime. -
Within an hour of the announcement the whole town knew that the King had signed the armistice.
Within an hour of the announcement the whole town knew that the King had signed the armistice.
Cioè infatti, io ricordo che l’8 settembre, era verso sera e che dopo un’ora credo, tutto quanto il paese sapeva che era stato firmato l’armistizio. -
We began to see soldiers wandering in the country, going back home.
We began to see soldiers wandering in the country, going back home.
Cominciammo, e c’era… cominciammo a vedere dei soldati sbandati nelle campagne e che venivano a casa.