European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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that there was this little wall in front of our house
that there was this little wall in front of our house
che di fronte a casa nostra, vicino alla strada -
next to the road where we always stopped for a chat.
next to the road where we always stopped for a chat.
c’era un muretto e in quel muretto lì ci fermavamo a fare delle chiacchiere; -
I remember that as they announced these news around 5 p.m.,
I remember that as they announced these news around 5 p.m.,
mi ricordo che in casa mia mia sorella, quando verso le cinque -
the news that the war was over, my sister screamed at me:
the news that the war was over, my sister screamed at me:
hanno dato quella notizia lì che la guerra era finita, mi gridò dalla finestra -
"Hey, Francesco, they said on the radio that the war is over
"Hey, Francesco, they said on the radio that the war is over
“Veh Francesco! Hanno detto per radio adesso che è finita la guerra -
but now there will be discussions with the Germans ..."
but now there will be discussions with the Germans ..."
però ci sarà da discutere con i tedeschi…” -
So I went upstairs because in our house I was the only one in possession of a radio,
So I went upstairs because in our house I was the only one in possession of a radio,
Allora sono andato su perché la radio l’avevo solo io nel nostro casermone, -
so I went to listen. They said something
so I went to listen. They said something
allora sono andato a sentire: però appunto -
about the cease-fire with the Americans so the war-thing was expected to be over,
about the cease-fire with the Americans so the war-thing was expected to be over,
avevano detto che avevano fatto l’armistizio con gli americani e quindi la cosa della guerra doveva essere finita, -
but it was starting right in that moment instead, especially for us.
but it was starting right in that moment instead, especially for us.
e invece era cominciata specialmente anche per noi. -
Introduction and youth
Introduction and youth
Presentazione e giovinezza -
My name is Francesco Bertacchini,
My name is Francesco Bertacchini,
Io mi chiamo Bertacchini Francesco -
I was born in Reggio Emilia on June 24th, 1926.
I was born in Reggio Emilia on June 24th, 1926.
e sono nato a Reggio Emilia il 24 giugno del 1926. -
That was a very bad time,
That was a very bad time,
Quel periodo lì è stato un periodaccio -
we couldn't go anywhere because we were being controlled everywhere we went,
we couldn't go anywhere because we were being controlled everywhere we went,
perché non potevamo andare da nessuna parte perché eravamo controllati da tutte le parti -
it was very nasty. We were friends with this guy called Benito,
it was very nasty. We were friends with this guy called Benito,
e quindi dava fastidio; tra l’altro avevamo in compagnia un certo Benito, -
the son of Benito Foscato, the worst fascist of Zanichelli Street,
the son of Benito Foscato, the worst fascist of Zanichelli Street,
che era il figlio di Benito Foscato, il fascista più cattivo e più prepotente della via Dante Zanichelli, -
where we have grown up as kids.
where we have grown up as kids.
lì lungo il Crostolo dove siamo venuti su da ragazzi, -
So we always had to be very careful about what we were saying
So we always had to be very careful about what we were saying
e quindi dovevamo stare sempre attenti a quello che si diceva o a quello che si parlava -
because he would go and tell his father who would call us to the headquarters.
because he would go and tell his father who would call us to the headquarters.
perché dopo lui lo andava a riferire a suo padre e dopo suo padre ci mandava a chiamare in sede,