European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We reached a point where people were throwing garbage in a hole,
We reached a point where people were throwing garbage in a hole,
passiamo davanti ad una buca dove ci buttavano l’immondizia -
and we guessed that there must be a village nearby.
and we guessed that there must be a village nearby.
e abbiamo detto si vede che c’è il paese qua vicino e ci buttano l’immondizia, -
I looked into the hole and saw a sort of Alpino-hat in the garbage.
I looked into the hole and saw a sort of Alpino-hat in the garbage.
e allora vedo là in fondo che c’è nell’immondizia una specie di cappello da alpino. -
It was one of those hats that the Balilla were using,
It was one of those hats that the Balilla were using,
Erano quei cappelli che quando si andava a fare il militare c’era il balilla, -
the avanguardists (fascist youth), they had a hat like the ones the Alpini used.
the avanguardists (fascist youth), they had a hat like the ones the Alpini used.
l’avanguardista: l’avanguardista aveva il cappello come gli alpini -
So I went down and got the hat, cleaned it a bit and put it on my head.
So I went down and got the hat, cleaned it a bit and put it on my head.
allora sono andato giù, l’ho preso, l’ho pulito un po’ poi me lo sono messo in testa, pioveva e via… -
In this manner we reached Succiso.
In this manner we reached Succiso.
Arriviamo a Succiso. -
In the outskirts of the village there were a few women
In the outskirts of the village there were a few women
Come arriviamo nella zona di Succiso qualche donna -
but in the centre there was nobody. Everyone had left!
but in the centre there was nobody. Everyone had left!
che era intorno al paese… Son spariti tutti porca miseria! -
I went into the tavern of Torri and asked if there were partisans here.
I went into the tavern of Torri and asked if there were partisans here.
Non ci abbiamo fatto caso però sono andato dentro all’osteria di Torri e gli ho detto: “Ci sono i partigiani da queste parti? -
He said: "No, there are no partisan round here, nobody."
He said: "No, there are no partisan round here, nobody."
e lui mi ha risposto “No di partigiani non ce n’è, qua non c’è niente!” -
"But I saw a few women ... " "They went to buy food".
"But I saw a few women ... " "They went to buy food".
“Ma c’era qualche donna…” “Sono andate via, sono andate a far la spesa”. -
So we decided to stay for a while, waiting for someone to come, but no-one appeared.
So we decided to stay for a while, waiting for someone to come, but no-one appeared.
Stiamo lì un po’ per vedere se arriva qualcuno ma non arriva nessuno, -
It was like a desert even though it was a village.
It was like a desert even though it was a village.
stiamo là in mezzo a un deserto anche se era un paesino: niente, -
So we sat down under a poplar and said
So we sat down under a poplar and said
non si vede niente allora ci siamo messi vicino alla pioppa e abbiamo detto -
"Let's talk. We don't have any money, it's raining, we don't know where the partisans are,
"Let's talk. We don't have any money, it's raining, we don't know where the partisans are,
“Adesso qua parliamo un po’: allora non abbiamo più soldi, piove, non sappiamo dove sono i partigiani, -
they don't tell us anything here, what shall we do? Shall we go home?
they don't tell us anything here, what shall we do? Shall we go home?
qua non ci dicono niente, adesso come facciamo? Andiamo a casa -
But we can't go home any more ..."
But we can't go home any more ..."
che a casa non possiamo più andarci?” -
He tried to calm me, he was older than me (he was born in 1924, I in 1926).
He tried to calm me, he was older than me (he was born in 1924, I in 1926).
Lui mi tranquillizzava sempre, era più vecchio di me, era del ‘24 e io del ‘26, -
But eventually I took my ID-card out of my wallet, I looked at him and told him:
But eventually I took my ID-card out of my wallet, I looked at him and told him:
“Vedrai che qua…vedrai che là…” Niente, ho tirato fuori il portafoglio e poi ho trovato la carta d’identità, l’ho guardato e gli ho detto