European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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It doesn’t bother me to have it on the arm. I don’t carry it around for advertisement. It’s just reality, that’s all.
It doesn’t bother me to have it on the arm. I don’t carry it around for advertisement. It’s just reality, that’s all.
Non mi disturba averlo sul braccio, non è per far pubblicità, è semplicemente così. Niente più. -
Distinguishing between Germans and Nazis
Distinguishing between Germans and Nazis
Fare distinzione tra tedeschi e nazisti -
We tried to go undercover as much as possible during the German occupation,
We tried to go undercover as much as possible during the German occupation,
Abbiamo vissuto l'occupazione nascondendoci il più possibile, -
even though I was not totally undercover. I still lived with my parents.
even though I was not totally undercover. I still lived with my parents.
anche se io abitavo ancora dai miei genitori. Non ero clandestino nel vero senso della parola. -
We thought about how we could distribute our leaflets.
We thought about how we could distribute our leaflets.
Ma escogitavamo un modo per distribuire i nostri volantini. -
Our concern was the French population, not the Germans. It was necessary to fight against the occupiers.
Our concern was the French population, not the Germans. It was necessary to fight against the occupiers.
Era il popolo a importarci, non i tedeschi, volevamo informare il popolo della necessità di combattere l'occupazione. -
In the camps we met civilized, working Germans.
In the camps we met civilized, working Germans.
Nei campi abbiamo incontrato dei tedeschi civili, che lavoravano. -
Sometimes that led to discussions between us.
Sometimes that led to discussions between us.
Questo alle volte ci ha portati a discutere. -
I always defended the idea that these people were not necessarily Nazis.
I always defended the idea that these people were not necessarily Nazis.
Io ho sempre difeso l'idea che queste persone non fossero per forza dei nazisti, lavoravano, -
As French people worked, they worked here and that one had to respect.
As French people worked, they worked here and that one had to respect.
Erano obbligati a lavorare come i francesi, per questo bisognava rispettarli. -
Then it was their responsibility. They knew who we were,
Then it was their responsibility. They knew who we were,
Poi era responsabilità loro, ma dal momento che erano lì con noi, sapevano cosa fossimo nelle nostre uniformi a righe. -
in our striped uniforms and some had a friendly word for us, in German, which we had to learn.
in our striped uniforms and some had a friendly word for us, in German, which we had to learn.
Lo sapevano e ci serbavano una parola gentile in tedesco che dovevamo imparare a capire. -
I always said that one should not mix up the SS and the Germans we met at work.
I always said that one should not mix up the SS and the Germans we met at work.
Io li ho sempre difesi. Non bisogna confondere le SS e i tedeschi che incontravamo al lavoro. -
The SS made a choice. They opted for the regime, the system.
The SS made a choice. They opted for the regime, the system.
Le SS hanno fatto una scelta, affiancano il regime, fanno i leccapiedi a spese nostre, -
Three, four years after coming back I was talking to some friends who said:
Three, four years after coming back I was talking to some friends who said:
Tre o quattro anni dal ritorno stavo parlando con degli amici che mi hanno detto: -
“We are going to Germany, to meet some people. But of course we won’t ask you to come along.”
“We are going to Germany, to meet some people. But of course we won’t ask you to come along.”
"Andiamo in Germania il tal giorno per incontrare degli amici. Certo non ti chiediamo di venire con noi…" -
I said: “Why won’t you ask me to go with you? Are you afraid that I will say that all Germans are fascists?
I said: “Why won’t you ask me to go with you? Are you afraid that I will say that all Germans are fascists?
Ho detto: "Perché non mi chiedete di venire con voi? Avete paura che vada a dire che i tedeschi sono tutti fascisti?" -
Not way. If you want me to, I will come along. I promise I will behave correctly towards the Germans we meet.
Not way. If you want me to, I will come along. I promise I will behave correctly towards the Germans we meet.
Se desiderate che venga con voi, lo farò, e prometto di essere correttissimo nei confronti dei tedeschi." -
That won’t stop me from saying what happened in the camps.
That won’t stop me from saying what happened in the camps.
Questo non m'impedirà di dire quello che è successo nei campi. Ma non per questo lo farò. Ci sono stati i nazisti , ma anche tedeschi che li hanno combattuti. -
But I will not say THE Germans.”
But I will not say THE Germans.”
Bisognerà avere i piedi per terra. L'idea d'incontrare dei tedeschi non mi spaventa, neanche se dovessimo parlare di quel periodo storico.