European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
“Let’s not sign anything. On the Russian front we’re too weak, we’re outnumbered, and that’s exactly where we’ll end up!”.
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So nobody signed.
So nobody signed.
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The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
The “Lagerfuhrer”, the boss of all bosses,
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was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
was so furious one day that we were sanctioned to
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– I will tell you this in German –
– I will tell you this in German –
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“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
“Diese Leute morgen früh kein Brot”: no bread for three days.
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The cold and the work
The cold and the work
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When we arrived there, the French asked us:
When we arrived there, the French asked us:
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“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
“Since you come from the outside, what do people say? How long will the war last?”.
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We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
We always thought we knew everything, and we told them it would only last one or two more months,
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but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
but they replied it would go on for another two years. They were right, the war went on for two more years.
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There were women who had to work on the railroad with shovels and pickaxes.
There were women who had to work on the railroad with shovels and pickaxes.
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Sometimes they were even pregnant, and trust me, that’s hard work.
Sometimes they were even pregnant, and trust me, that’s hard work.
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They didn’t do a headcount at night,
They didn’t do a headcount at night,
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to see who was back and who wasn’t, they didn’t care if ten of us had died during the day.
to see who was back and who wasn’t, they didn’t care if ten of us had died during the day.
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Similarly, they did not expect us to work too hard, but we had to be at work every day.
Similarly, they did not expect us to work too hard, but we had to be at work every day.
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In my camp, after we woke up at five,
In my camp, after we woke up at five,
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we were supposed to get up and leave with the others,
we were supposed to get up and leave with the others,
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but after that there was no control on what we did during the day.
but after that there was no control on what we did during the day.
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And in any case, there was nowhere we could go.
And in any case, there was nowhere we could go.