European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Literature about this does exist.
Literature about this does exist.
C'è un'intera letteratura che ne parla. -
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
L'obbiettivo era di annientare i prigionieri politici. Non dovevano sopravvivere in guerra, ma crepare. -
The companies were assembled as follows:
The companies were assembled as follows:
Le compagnie erano composte così: -
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
un terzo erano prigionieri politici, un terzo criminali, un terzo ufficiali, sottufficiali -
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
e caporali, praticamente tutti nazisti. Questa era la composizione. -
You had to be really careful if you did not really know the political prisoners.
You had to be really careful if you did not really know the political prisoners.
I prigionieri politici dovevano stare molto attenti: -
Any comments or thoughts – it was very easy to get shot.
Any comments or thoughts – it was very easy to get shot.
bastava una qualsiasi espressione o pensiero e ti sparavano. -
Some did know each other.
Some did know each other.
Alcuni si conoscevano. -
They had been in prison together and now, met again after many years.
They had been in prison together and now, met again after many years.
Erano stati in galera insieme e ora si ritrovavano dopo tanti anni. -
Now you didn’t always know how somebody thought in 1940 or 42, who had been imprisoned in 1934/35/36.
Now you didn’t always know how somebody thought in 1940 or 42, who had been imprisoned in 1934/35/36.
Era il 1940/1942 e non sapevamo come potessero pensare quelle persone incarcerate nel '34, '35 o '36. -
You did notice and in time you had contact to the political ones.
You did notice and in time you had contact to the political ones.
Con il tempo però si entrava in contatto con i politici. Lo si percepiva. -
We were all political prisoners.
We were all political prisoners.
Eravamo tutti prigionieri politici -
We had made sure of no others joining us.
We had made sure of no others joining us.
e ci eravamo impegnati a tenere tutti gli altri fuori. -
That was important - even there.
That was important - even there.
Era una cosa molto importante. -
The training: We did not have a pass. Later on, in Belgium, we did.
The training: We did not have a pass. Later on, in Belgium, we did.
L'addestramento: non potevamo uscire. Ce lo permisero solo dopo, quando arrivammo in Belgio. -
There was always a corporal walking along with us (with 3 or 5 men)
There was always a corporal walking along with us (with 3 or 5 men)
C'era un sottufficiale per 3 o 5 uomini, che camminava con noi e controllava -
who had to make sure that no one started to talk to other people.
who had to make sure that no one started to talk to other people.
che non ci fosse contatto con altre persone. -
But, in Belgium – as we were not the first ones there –
But, in Belgium – as we were not the first ones there –
In Belgio non eravamo i primi ad essere arrivati lì, -
they knew that in this punishment battalion 999 there were many political prisoners.
they knew that in this punishment battalion 999 there were many political prisoners.
quindi si sapeva che nella Divisione penale 999 c'erano molti prigionieri politici. -
That was known.
That was known.
Si sapeva già.