European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Well, the question of desertion was obviously discussed between all the people who were active as anti-fascists.
Well, the question of desertion was obviously discussed between all the people who were active as anti-fascists.
Anche la questione della diserzione venne discussa tra tutti gli antifascisti attivi. -
Only in Africa there was no front which’s lines could have been passed.
Only in Africa there was no front which’s lines could have been passed.
In Africa non si poteva cambiare fronte -
In Africa warfare was mobile.
In Africa warfare was mobile.
perché la guerra era mobile. -
You could only change fronts if a unit was enclosed by the English.
You could only change fronts if a unit was enclosed by the English.
Si poteva cambiare fronte solo se un'unità veniva circondata dagli inglesi. -
Then it was possible to say: “I would like to run over”. Or to say: “I’ll run away”, then you avoided captivity.
Then it was possible to say: “I would like to run over”. Or to say: “I’ll run away”, then you avoided captivity.
In quel caso potevamo svignarcela ed andarcene senza rischiare la prigione. -
When I came to Poland and Russia, that did not work because,
When I came to Poland and Russia, that did not work because,
Quando però andai in Polonia e in Russia non funzionò, -
as a radio operator, you were too far away from the front.
as a radio operator, you were too far away from the front.
perché come radiotelegrafisti eravamo troppo lontani dal fronte. -
As a radio operator you are relatively far behind where the general staff sits.
As a radio operator you are relatively far behind where the general staff sits.
Gli operatori radio erano relativamente lontano da dove sedevano gli stati maggiori, -
And they sit 50 to 60 km behind the front.
And they sit 50 to 60 km behind the front.
che erano a circa 50-60 km dietro al fronte. -
Most of the time I was with the army, at the higher posts.
Most of the time I was with the army, at the higher posts.
Però fui principalmente con il corpo d'armata e l'esercito, quindi nelle posizioni più alte. -
We were away from the front, so it did not work there, but the opportunity had to be taken.
We were away from the front, so it did not work there, but the opportunity had to be taken.
Eravamo lontani dal fronte quindi non poteva funzionare, ma dovevamo cogliere l'occasione. -
I would have done so like many others if the option had occurred.
I would have done so like many others if the option had occurred.
Quindi in caso si fosse mostrata, l'avrei colta insieme a molti altri. -
Using codes
Using codes
Utilizzo di codici -
In the summer of 1938, before the Nazis marched in,
In the summer of 1938, before the Nazis marched in,
Già nell'estate del 1938, quindi prima dell'arrivo dei nazisti, avevamo concordato che -
we agreed that we not only want to keep in touch,
we agreed that we not only want to keep in touch,
non solo avremmo mantenuto i contatti, -
but we wanted to develop a secure code in which we were able to correspond politically.
but we wanted to develop a secure code in which we were able to correspond politically.
ma avremmo elaborato una scrittura cifrata. Un codice sicuro con cui poter scambiare anche messaggi politici. -
It was a cipher which the Gestapo was not able to figure out until the end:
It was a cipher which the Gestapo was not able to figure out until the end:
Era un codice segreto, che fino alla fine non venne decodificato dalla Gestapo. -
A very shifty system, the so called „two-box-system“.
A very shifty system, the so called „two-box-system“.
Un sistema molto raffinato, chiamato "Sistema a due caste". -
When a cipher was found, you only needed to press out the sender and the addressee to find out more.
When a cipher was found, you only needed to press out the sender and the addressee to find out more.
Quando il codice veniva scoperto, bisognava ricattare il mittente e il destinatario, per ottenere più informazioni. -
That was why the code had to be masked again – that was my idea.
That was why the code had to be masked again – that was my idea.
Così dovevamo di nuovo nascondere il codice; fu una mia idea.