A blog from World War 2 | Un Blog dalla Seconda Guerra Mondiale
This is the second Easter I’ve spent on German soil, the second Easter my dear wife and kids are forced to celebrate without me! These holidays are nothing but a blow to my heart, I’d rather they never come. I wonder what sort of bleak Easter my poor wife had without me. She’s been living […]
Today we worked like we do every day, and like every other day we ate potatoes with no seasoning, hardly even any salt. Even on Easter we ate potatoes at noon and at night, without any seasoning. Food has become a serious issue: there’s no bread at the black market, and if you manage to […]
I’m tired of working, I don’t feel well. This morning I asked my boss if I could have a permit to go see a doctor, he wouldn’t give it to me, he said I have to work. I asked him again later, so he sent his sidekick, a man worthy of him who we nicknamed […]
Tonight Paolo Schumann came to visit me. He now lives in a small city called Landshut, 70 kilometers outside of Munich. We had a beer together. He practically assured me that the war should be over this month, but I doubt it. I said to him: “It should be over but your fellow Germans are […]
Today we had to run to the bomb shelter twice and had to stay inside for 3 hours straight.
The siren went off twice. I worry that sooner or later, these surprise attacks will kill us. If it doesn’t end this month, I’ve decided to cut and run. Before, the siren used to go off and then the aircrafts would come. We had time to run somewhere, we had time to go to a […]
Last night at exactly midnight the “pre-raid siren” went off, then 2-3 minutes of regular siren, but while the siren was wailing, the bombers dropped their loads. We barely had time to jump out of bed when an explosion shook us. We got dressed and ran to the shelter, but it was pointless. Once we […]
After 8 days of rest, I returned to the doctor as he had requested. Naturally, I told him I feel ill and have a fever. He gave me a thermometer and sent me into the usual room alone, so I rubbed and rubbed the thermometer like I did last Wednesday until it showed a fever […]
I had just finished eating and was resting in bed when I hear my name being called. I get up and see my factory boss and his sidekick, a cowardly wretch worthy of him. He calls me and says: Tomorrow you have to come to work. I told him the doctor officially gave me days […]
I woke up and instead of going to work, as my wretched boss ordered me to, I wandered around the city. I already have everything I need to leave: some bread and a few old undergarments. As I walk toward the small station of Ost Bahnhoff, I run into 6 Italians. I ask where they […]
This morning we went to the Italo-German Delegation to see what they tell us. There are 5 of us coming from different parts of Germany. When we reach the Delegation, we’re surprised to see over 300 men there. With this horde of men, it’ll be easy for me to hatch a plot. We begin asking […]
This morning I went to the station where hordes of Italians were waiting to be repatriated, I snuck into the crowd and with them I boarded the first train that arrived. I’ve finally reached Brenner. After 20 months, I finally hear Italians speaking. 320 Marks total handed over, they ask for my papers and where […]
This morning I went to see the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal, then I went to St. Mark’s Square, the cathedral, and the Bridge of Sighs, so very enchanting!
As I walked around the city this morning, I happened upon this woman. She realizes I’m not from Venice and asks me where I’m going. I tell her I’m looking for a place to stay, to take cover until the Front passes. She says she can host me at her home and tells me: “Go […]
Today in the newspaper I read that all men who’ve returned from Germany can go to Venice’s military precinct where they’ll be paid for the time they were away in Germany. Me and a man from Rome go to Venice, which is nearby. We arrive in Venice and go to the precinct. Here, I tell […]
This morning we went to see the cardinal in St. Mark’s Square, he told us about Venice, he asked us if we go to Mass, then he gave me and my friend 100 lira. We also went into St. Mark’s church, how amazing! As we walk around Venice, we see monuments everywhere. Everyone walks in […]
This work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND