European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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He had 12 or 14 sharecroppers working for him, so he was really rich,
He had 12 or 14 sharecroppers working for him, so he was really rich,
che aveva 12 o 14, allora li chiamavamo “mezzadri”, quindi ricchissimo, -
and they could not pay him any longer
and they could not pay him any longer
che non potevano pagare però la roba -
with the stuff they used to bring to the mill.
with the stuff they used to bring to the mill.
che portavano al mulino o che venivano a prendere al mulino. -
“Keep calm, you'll see that one day god will ...”
“Keep calm, you'll see that one day god will ...”
“Ma porti pazienza, vedrai che verrà un giorno che Dio…” -
So they kept taking credits, but the day came when my father lost a lot of money.
So they kept taking credits, but the day came when my father lost a lot of money.
Insomma è venuto il giorno in cui mio padre ha perso tanti di quei soldi: -
That was when we split up. Me and my brother Portos were both students,
That was when we split up. Me and my brother Portos were both students,
allora ci dividemmo. Io studiavo, un altro mio fratello, “Portos”, studiava: -
so we went to Montecchio,
so we went to Montecchio,
così siamo andati a finire a Montecchio -
at Montecchio we owned a nice little house.
at Montecchio we owned a nice little house.
e a Montecchio avevamo una casetta anche buona -
It had already started ...
It had already started ...
perché cominciava già quel eccetera eccetera. -
I was friends with the family of Jones Bertolini
I was friends with the family of Jones Bertolini
Io frequentavo molto la famiglia di Iones Bertolini -
who was a really passionate partisan, he got the silver medal,
who was a really passionate partisan, he got the silver medal,
che è stato un partigiano medaglia d’argento, -
that was when I became a communist. His mother was an anti-fascist,
that was when I became a communist. His mother was an anti-fascist,
uno sfegatato e lì ero diventato comunista perché la madre era antifascista, -
the father had to emigrate to France,
the father had to emigrate to France,
il papà era dovuto emigrare in Francia, -
they were really poor. I'd seen him only once
they were really poor. I'd seen him only once
non avevano niente poveretti: lo vidi una volta sola -
when he came back to Montecchio to meet his parents.
when he came back to Montecchio to meet his parents.
che venne a Montecchio a trovare i suoi, -
I remember I saw him killing a chicken with a sling
I remember I saw him killing a chicken with a sling
e lo vidi anche tirare con un tirasassi una gallina -
and then taking it home to eat it.
and then taking it home to eat it.
che poi portò a casa e se la mangiò. -
A really terrible poverty. That was when I ...
A really terrible poverty. That was when I ...
Una miseria terribile guardi. Insomma lì ho cominciato a… -
I didn't fancy that lady, she was good and kind
I didn't fancy that lady, she was good and kind
Non mi piaceva molto quella signora, era buona e gentile -
but she swore so much against that stubborn (Mussolini) who sent people to die ...
but she swore so much against that stubborn (Mussolini) who sent people to die ...
ma tante di quelle bestemmie contro quel testone che fa morir la gente…