European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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I had an older brother, who was born in 1915.
I had an older brother, who was born in 1915.
Poi avevo un fratello maggiore, era del ’15, -
He was also a cobbler.
He was also a cobbler.
che faceva anche lui il calzolaio, -
My sister Margherita worked as a day-labourer or in the rice-fields.
My sister Margherita worked as a day-labourer or in the rice-fields.
una sorella, Margherita, che lei faceva un po’ la bracciante, andava alla risaia eccetera. -
Another sister was a dress-maker.
Another sister was a dress-maker.
Un'altra sorella faceva la sarta. -
My father was an antifascist,
My father was an antifascist,
Mio papà era un antifascista, -
although he wasn’t really organized in the antifascist movement.
although he wasn’t really organized in the antifascist movement.
che però non è che fosse organizzato nell’antifascismo, -
Nobody in my family was a fascist,
Nobody in my family was a fascist,
cioè nessuno nella mia famiglia era fascista in poche parole, -
but they weren’t organized, apart from me. I was in “Azione Cattolica” (Catholic Action).
but they weren’t organized, apart from me. I was in “Azione Cattolica” (Catholic Action).
però non è che fossero organizzati, insomma ecco. Solo io che ero nell’Azione Cattolica. -
When I was twelve, Don Luca Pallai, who was Villa Cella’s parish priest and later also joined the Resistance,
When I was twelve, Don Luca Pallai, who was Villa Cella’s parish priest and later also joined the Resistance,
A 12 anni, finite le scuole elementari, il parroco di Villa Cella, don Luca Pallai, che poi è diventato anche lui partigiano nella Resistenza, -
kept pressing my parents to send me to study to become a priest.
kept pressing my parents to send me to study to become a priest.
insisteva con i miei genitori di mandarmi in... eh, a studiare da prete. E ha insistito diverse volte. -
I believed in God and lived by the church.
I believed in God and lived by the church.
Io ero credente, che abitavo vicino alla chiesa, un centinaio di metri. -
I was the only one of our family who went to church.
I was the only one of our family who went to church.
Della mia famiglia ero l’unico che andava in chiesa. Poi a 13-14 anni ero a delegato aspiranti. -
I finished elementary school
I finished elementary school
La quinta elementare, e chiuso. -
and went to work when I was twelve.
and went to work when I was twelve.
Poi dopo io ho cominciato a lavorare a 12 anni. -
However, when I was just a little older than 14,
However, when I was just a little older than 14,
Se non che, quando avevo poco più di 15 anni, di 14 anni, -
my father and the bailiff had a small dispute, so I got fired and was left unemployed.
my father and the bailiff had a small dispute, so I got fired and was left unemployed.
c’è stato con mio papà e il fattore un mezzo bisticcio, mi ha licenziato in tronco e poi io sono rimasto disoccupato. -
I went to the employment agency to get a job at the Reggiane mechanical plant.
I went to the employment agency to get a job at the Reggiane mechanical plant.
Allora mi sono presentato all’ufficio di collocamento per andare a lavorare alle Reggiane. -
They kept telling me to come back the following month.
They kept telling me to come back the following month.
Loro mi dicevano: “Ma non c’è posto alle Reggiane adesso, vieni tra un mese”. -
But every morning for the following forty days, I turned up at the employment agency before they opened.
But every morning for the following forty days, I turned up at the employment agency before they opened.
Io per quaranta giorni, tutte le mattine mi presentavo davanti all’ufficio di collocamento prima che aprissero. -
I guess I wore them out, because one morning they finally told me to come inside.
I guess I wore them out, because one morning they finally told me to come inside.
Penso di averli stancati, una bella mattina mi hanno detto: “Vieni dentro,