European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Introduction, childhood during fascism
Introduction, childhood during fascism
Presentazione; infanzia nel fascismo -
My name is Lidia Valeriani.
My name is Lidia Valeriani.
Mi chiamo Lidia Valeriani, -
I was born on the 23rd of January 1923
I was born on the 23rd of January 1923
sono nata il 23 gennaio del 1923 -
in Montecavolo di Quattro Castella,
in Montecavolo di Quattro Castella,
a Montecavolo di Quattro Castella -
in a small hamlet called Scampate.
in a small hamlet called Scampate.
in una frazioncina di Montecavolo che era chiamata Scampate, -
Awful fascist times.
Awful fascist times.
forse in brutto periodo fascista -
My father was a victim of political persecution.
My father was a victim of political persecution.
perché mio padre era già un perseguitato. -
I had two brothers older than I,
I had two brothers older than I,
Prima di me avevo altri due fratelli -
and six more followed, making us a family of nine brothers.
and six more followed, making us a family of nine brothers.
poi ne sono nati altri sei: eravamo una famiglia di nove fratelli. -
As soon as we started to go to school,
As soon as we started to go to school,
Anche quando abbiamo incominciato ad andare a scuola, fin dai 6 anni, -
we already understood that things were different for us children of antifascists,
we already understood that things were different for us children of antifascists,
già capivamo che noi che eravamo figli di antifascisti c’erano delle differenze da quelli che -
compared to those of the fascists, who were enrolled in the “Balilla”, in the “Piccole Italiane” - the fascist youth organizations.
compared to those of the fascists, who were enrolled in the “Balilla”, in the “Piccole Italiane” - the fascist youth organizations.
erano figli di fascisti e che erano già iscritti ai balilla, alle piccole italiane ecc. A scuola c’erano già queste cose. -
I noticed and realized this when I was six,
I noticed and realized this when I was six,
Io già a 6 anni che le vedevo e le capivo -
and I started asking my father why we were considered differently from the others.
and I started asking my father why we were considered differently from the others.
chiedevo a mio padre il perché noi eravamo considerati a scuola con delle cose diverse dagli altri. -
My father tried to explain it to me, as best he could since I was still a little girl.
My father tried to explain it to me, as best he could since I was still a little girl.
E mio padre cercava di spiegarmi un po’, nel modo che poteva farmelo capire perché ero una bambina ancora. -
He would have never enlisted us in the “Piccole Italiane”, or the boys in the “Balilla”.
He would have never enlisted us in the “Piccole Italiane”, or the boys in the “Balilla”.
Lui non ci avrebbe mai iscritto alle piccole italiane e neanche ai balilla i maschi ecc. -
As we got older we began to understand how things were going, that the antifascists had to go underground.
As we got older we began to understand how things were going, that the antifascists had to go underground.
Poi andando avanti noi bambini capivamo già, io capivo già un po’ com’erano le cose, che c’era già la clandestinità per quelli che erano antifascisti -
I was ten, it was obvious by then.
I was ten, it was obvious by then.
e quando avevo 10 anni, che oramai le cose si capivano. -
In 1933, when they started arresting a lot of people (they arrested and beat people even before that),
In 1933, when they started arresting a lot of people (they arrested and beat people even before that),
Nel ’33 quando cominciavano a mettere in galera tanta gente – mettevano in galera anche prima, li picchiavano anche prima – -
I realized the situation, and some of our neighbours were arrested that year.
I realized the situation, and some of our neighbours were arrested that year.
ma noi, io ho incominciato a capire quando avevo 10 anni come stavano le cose e dei nostri vicini di casa qualcuno è stato arrestato del ’33.