European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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She offered to go tell my parents to come greet me, but before she left I asked her what the situation was, since she knew my family.
She offered to go tell my parents to come greet me, but before she left I asked her what the situation was, since she knew my family.
“vado a dire ai tuoi che ti vengano incontro”. “Allora se conosci i miei dimmi com’è la situazione” -
“Everyone is alive”, she said,
“Everyone is alive”, she said,
dice “ci sono ancora tutti, -
“and your brother has just come back from Switzerland”.
“and your brother has just come back from Switzerland”.
e tuo fratello era appena tornato dalla Svizzera”; -
Then she ran to my parents’ home to give them the good news.
Then she ran to my parents’ home to give them the good news.
allora è andata a casa mia a dirglielo. -
I will never forget my mother running towards me in tears.
I will never forget my mother running towards me in tears.
Ricordo sempre la mia mamma che mi è venuta incontro di corsa, -
She could not take it anymore, just like me, and that’s the first time I cried.
She could not take it anymore, just like me, and that’s the first time I cried.
che non ne poteva più neanche lei, ed è stata l’unica volta che ho pianto, -
I usually shed tears every time I tell this story, so today I’m lucky: this morning I managed not to cry.
I usually shed tears every time I tell this story, so today I’m lucky: this morning I managed not to cry.
e mi è andata bene adesso perché quando racconto queste cose piango sempre, stamattina sono riuscito a non piangere. -
And that’s the end of the story.
And that’s the end of the story.
Dopo è finita la storia, -
I got back in touch with my old contacts and began looking for a job.
I got back in touch with my old contacts and began looking for a job.
ho preso i collegamenti qui cercando il posto di lavoro, -
I received many offers that I didn’t accept,
I received many offers that I didn’t accept,
mi erano state offerte tante cose che non ho accettato, -
then I just went on with my new job, at Giglio,
then I just went on with my new job, at Giglio,
sono poi tornato al mio lavoro che era diventata la Giglio, -
Latterie Cooperative Riunite (the United Dairy Cooperative). I’ve worked there for thirty-six years.
Latterie Cooperative Riunite (the United Dairy Cooperative). I’ve worked there for thirty-six years.
le Latterie Cooperative Riunite, dove ho fatto gli ultimi 36 anni là dentro. -
Trying to stay alive
Trying to stay alive
Cercare di sopravvivere -
At that point I was determined to come back home,
At that point I was determined to come back home,
Io mi ero messo in testa che volevo tornare a casa, -
I could not stand ending up like that anymore.
I could not stand ending up like that anymore.
perché non era mica giusto che facessi quella fine lì; -
I ate just as bad as the others,
I ate just as bad as the others,
ho mangiato male come gli altri, -
although my doctor tells me today that those two years in Germany
although my doctor tells me today that those two years in Germany
nonostante il dottore adesso continui a dirmi “quei due anni in Germania -
were good for my health and helped me to stay alive.
were good for my health and helped me to stay alive.
ti hanno fatto bene, ti hanno aiutato a sopravvivere”, -
I didn’t do much, but I was never scared of not being able to make it home one day.
I didn’t do much, but I was never scared of not being able to make it home one day.
io non facevo niente, però non mi sono mai preoccupato, non ho mai avuto il pensiero di non venire a casa. -
Only during the last three months did I let go:
Only during the last three months did I let go:
Io ho mollato gli ultimi due o tre mesi: