European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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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, -
They were going to let me work at the Reggiane.
They were going to let me work at the Reggiane.
ti mandiamo a lavorare alle Officine Meccaniche Reggiane”. -
The Reggiane mechanical plant was
The Reggiane mechanical plant was
L’Officine Meccaniche Reggiane allora era -
the most important weapon factory in the whole region.
the most important weapon factory in the whole region.
come fabbrica di armi la più importante di tutta l’Emilia Romagna. -
Quite frankly, I was a catholic and went to church. For me it was all about this, work and church.
Quite frankly, I was a catholic and went to church. For me it was all about this, work and church.
Io sinceramente ero cattolico, frequentavo la chiesa, per me il lavoro e la chiesa erano la cosa principale -
I had never been interested in politics.
I had never been interested in politics.
e non mi sono mai interessato di politica. -
Even at the time of the laws against the Jews, I didn’t follow the issue much.
Even at the time of the laws against the Jews, I didn’t follow the issue much.
E anche quando c’è stata la legge contro gli ebrei non è che abbia seguito questa cosa. -
I was a passionate worker.
I was a passionate worker.
Io lavoravo ed ero un lavoratore molto appassionato, -
I was even doing research to increase production.
I was even doing research to increase production.
anzi, addirittura facevo delle ricerche per migliorare la produzione. -
US-captivity, end of war
US-captivity, end of war
Prigioniero di guerra americano, fine della guerra -
We were on a ship to travel onwards from the Mediterranean Sea.
We were on a ship to travel onwards from the Mediterranean Sea.
Ci imbarcarono su una nave. Dovevamo superare il Mediterraneo. -
But we came back and later on we were handed over to the Americans.
But we came back and later on we were handed over to the Americans.
Ma tornammo indietro e poi (non so quale fosse l'accordo tra gli alleati) ci consegnarono agli americani -
We travelled to Casablanca, through Morocco, by train.
We travelled to Casablanca, through Morocco, by train.
ed arrivammo a Casablanca con il treno, passando per il Marocco. -
Casablanca is situated quite low down.
Casablanca is situated quite low down.
Casablanca si trovava abbastanza a sud. -
The American army did not treat us any better.
The American army did not treat us any better.
Gli Americani non ci trattarono meglio. -
I remembered much later:
I remembered much later:
Una cosa che mi ricordai molti più tardi fu: -
officers were probably not able to understand these things in their own awareness;
officers were probably not able to understand these things in their own awareness;
gli officiali probabilmente non erano in grado di capire da soli -
that soldiers who had been fighting in the Hitler-army were now turning against it.
that soldiers who had been fighting in the Hitler-army were now turning against it.
che i soldati che avevano combattuto nell'esercito di Hitler, si erano rivoltati a lui.