European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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The days of Liberation
The days of Liberation
Giorni della Liberazione -
On the 23rd we noticed a heavy fog over our heads.
On the 23rd we noticed a heavy fog over our heads.
Il 23 cominciammo ad avere sulla testa una nebbia fittissima -
Everything seemed quiet, muffled. Then the German tanks began to withdraw.
Everything seemed quiet, muffled. Then the German tanks began to withdraw.
e c’era tutto silenzio, tutto ovattato, poi cominciò ad arrivare i carri tedeschi in ritirata. -
An army on the run is one of the saddest sights one can witness.
An army on the run is one of the saddest sights one can witness.
Ragazze, un esercito in rotta è la cosa più brutta, più… come si dice… più angosciosa che uno possa… -
There was a whole line of trucks that had been seized in Yugoslavia.
There was a whole line of trucks that had been seized in Yugoslavia.
c’era la fila dei carri che avevano requisito in Jugoslavia, dei carri a quattro ruote -
They were all full of wounded soldiers. It was terrible.
They were all full of wounded soldiers. It was terrible.
pieni di feriti… eh… delle cose che non si potevano guardare. -
The Germans were heading for the Po River,
The Germans were heading for the Po River,
E che tutta questa, questi tedeschi andavano sul Po, -
but there were a few groups of partisans in the lowlands, the SAPs, trying to disarm them.
but there were a few groups of partisans in the lowlands, the SAPs, trying to disarm them.
però c’era qualche gruppo di giovani partigiani che erano in pianura, i SAP, che tentavano di disarmare i tedeschi, -
However, the Germans didn’t give up until the very end.
However, the Germans didn’t give up until the very end.
perché li vedevano così in rotta così… invece i tedeschi non ci hanno mollato fino all’ultimo momento. -
We were told to keep calm.
We were told to keep calm.
Noi avevamo l’ordine di stare il più tranquilli possibile, -
Nobody knew what the situation was.
Nobody knew what the situation was.
perché non si sapeva bene come era la situazione. -
I was at home when I heard a horse coming at full speed.
I was at home when I heard a horse coming at full speed.
Io ero in casa e sentivo un cavallo arrivare a tutta velocità, al galoppo proprio. -
The reins were loose, because he had probably taken the horse from a cart.
The reins were loose, because he had probably taken the horse from a cart.
Aveva i tiranti lasciati andare perché si vede che l’aveva staccato da un carro e non si era dato la briga di togliere i fili. -
I ran outside and it was a German soldier. He was really young.
I ran outside and it was a German soldier. He was really young.
Io sono corsa fuori ed era un tedesco, un giovane tedesco ma giovanissimo, -
Hitler had enlisted even those who were 15 or 16 years old.
Hitler had enlisted even those who were 15 or 16 years old.
perché sapete che Hitler aveva reclutato anche i giovanissimi di 16-15 anni. -
As he saw me, he started to shout that the Americans were coming.
As he saw me, he started to shout that the Americans were coming.
Questo giovane mi ha visto, ha cominciato ad urlare: “Gli americani! Gli americani!”, -
He wanted me to take cover, because he didn’t know I was a partisan.
He wanted me to take cover, because he didn’t know I was a partisan.
cioè voleva che mi mettessi al riparo perché lui non sapeva che io ero una partigiana, -
At that moment we were only a young boy and a young girl who wanted the war to come to an end.
At that moment we were only a young boy and a young girl who wanted the war to come to an end.
però in quel momento eravamo solo due giovani, che avevamo voglia, tutti e due, che la guerra finisse. -
He was about to try to make it home, while I was waiting for my country to be free again.
He was about to try to make it home, while I was waiting for my country to be free again.
Lui era sulla strada per provare ad arrivare a casa e io ero lì che aspettavo proprio che si liberasse il paese. -
At that moment I didn’t feel like I could hate neither the Germans nor that young soldier.
At that moment I didn’t feel like I could hate neither the Germans nor that young soldier.
Quindi io in quel momento non mi sono sentita né di odiare i tedeschi, né di odiare quel giovane