European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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There was no fruit, the land was a desert just like here,
There was no fruit, the land was a desert just like here,
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there was nothing to eat,
there was nothing to eat,
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just the meals they gave us when something arrived, and only a few things.
just the meals they gave us when something arrived, and only a few things.
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A sad thing I remember took place when we were in Slovenia,
A sad thing I remember took place when we were in Slovenia,
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just outside the capital, in a place called “the Sawmill”, in the woods.
just outside the capital, in a place called “the Sawmill”, in the woods.
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The partisans attacked us and we reacted.
The partisans attacked us and we reacted.
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The fascists and the snipers came
The fascists and the snipers came
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and emptied out the village, they killed more than 400 people, shot dead like dogs.
and emptied out the village, they killed more than 400 people, shot dead like dogs.
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That's the truth, and we were around the hills checking if the others were coming.
That's the truth, and we were around the hills checking if the others were coming.
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After this desaster the fascists went away.
After this desaster the fascists went away.
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They had carried away women and children, they brought them to Fiume,
They had carried away women and children, they brought them to Fiume,
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and then they committed this big massacre.
and then they committed this big massacre.
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It was up to us bury the bodies, and so we did.
It was up to us bury the bodies, and so we did.
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We threw them all in a hole, covered them with sawdust from the nearby sawmill
We threw them all in a hole, covered them with sawdust from the nearby sawmill
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and then we burned down the village. That was a terribly sad thing we did.
and then we burned down the village. That was a terribly sad thing we did.
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Years later I have travelled through Yugoslavia three or four times as a tourist,
Years later I have travelled through Yugoslavia three or four times as a tourist,
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I knew a little Croatian, I could speak quite well.
I knew a little Croatian, I could speak quite well.
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I was talking to a bartender, he asked me why I knew the language
I was talking to a bartender, he asked me why I knew the language
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and I said “I have been here”.
and I said “I have been here”.
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He told me not to speak because the locals had no friendly attitude towards us after what we'd done.
He told me not to speak because the locals had no friendly attitude towards us after what we'd done.