The siren went off again today but thank God they didn’t bomb. 10 days have passed since I tried to be repatriated to Italy, I haven’t given up yet but still have not found a way. They want me to die in Germany!

Today the siren went off again precisely at noon. The siren always seems to go off at noon. Winter has returned. It has snowed for 10 consecutive days. February was like spring, but now it’s mid-March and we have yet to see the sun, plus it’s cold. I was certain the cold wouldn’t return since the entire month of February was warm and sunny. Another Easter nears and this war has yet to end. Another blow to the heart nears at the thought of my poor wife, so far away. Why isn’t God moved to pity at the sight of so many tears? Why must I suffer so much!

While we were sleeping last night, the siren went off. It was 11:00 when we heard it, we got dressed quickly and ran to the shelter. It was over after an hour. We hadn’t even fallen back asleep when the siren went off again. We got dressed again and ran to the shelter, it was over after midnight, with no damage this time either.

Yesterday and today were filled with pre-raid sirens and sirens. But they didn’t come to Munich, they chose other targets. The weather has been lovely these past few days, clear skies and warm temperatures, the snow is gone and it’s no longer cold.

The siren went off at 11:20, it ended at 3:40. The siren has never lasted this long since I’ve been in Munich.

Siren. It was 11:00 when the siren went off. We’re not allowed to leave the factory and our boss won’t even let us go to the shelter. I managed to sneak out and run to the nearest shelter. The siren stopped at 3:15, when I got back to the factory the others had already eaten and were ready to get back to work, so I wasn’t able to eat. Near this lovely factory, there’s a tavern which is under the control of our factory boss, so when the siren goes off and lasts a long time, in order to not make his workers or rather “slaves” waste time, he has the tavern open up and feed us, so as soon as the siren stops, or rather 10 minutes before, he sends us back to work.

Siren.
The sun is still a shining beauty, for those who actually see it, I certainly don’t. The factory is like a cavern, I arrive in the morning and leave at night.

At 11:50 the siren goes off. They send us to the factory’s basement, even a rudimentary bomb would make this place collapse. But they won’t let us out, we’re worse off than slaves, whereas workers from other factories are allowed to go wherever they please. I took advantage of the fact that nobody was watching me and I snuck out, we would’ve left work at 12:15 anyway. I walked less than 300 meters when I heard the roar of aircraft engines. I stopped to look at them, they shimmered in the sun as if they were made of silver. There is no shelter nearby, the shooting begins. I see people running into a doorway so I follow them. We go down into a small basement, it’s not a good shelter but it’s safer than the factory. I went out after 30 minutes, many people were already outside, there was a fire nearby but the bombs didn’t do much damage, it was slight. Since I didn’t hear any shooting or engines, I started walking home and noticed everyone was looking up at the sky, so I did too. I saw a giant parachute descending upon the city, we stared at it for a long time, until the wind blew it away. I don’t think there was a man attached to the parachute, but rather something lightweight or else the wind would not have been able to blow it so far away and it wouldn’t have taken so long to reach the ground.

Tonight, when I got home from work there was finally a letter waiting for me. I picked it up and noticed my handwriting on the envelope. I was confused, I didn’t stop to think that it could’ve been from one of the many letters I sent with return envelopes through the Red Cross of Vienna. Someone said to me: “You wrote to a friend but accidentally wrote your address instead of his”. I could not believe it! I open the letter and see a Red Cross form, I immediately realize it’s a letter from home. I read the few words written by my wife’s hand. I can’t help but cry, to think it’s been 18 months since I’ve seen Carmosina and my darling children who have been without my guidance, sustenance, and help. 18 months without news from them. Who knew I would have to suffer this much?! After a year and a half of unbearable solitude, with no news from the people I love more than life itself, I finally got a letter. I’m glad my wife assures me they are all well, but in my heart there will be no happiness until I am able to embrace my dear wife and our darling children. If that blessed day comes, then I will be happy and joyful! I hope to God that long-awaited day isn’t far away and that He will grant me this joy, which is the only hope that allows me to bear these sacrifices, this inhumane treatment.

I didn’t sleep much last night, I kept waking up. Every time I woke up, I shed some tears and had a knot in my throat. I kept picturing my wife and my dear children. I kept remembering, as if it were yesterday, the summer of 1943, before the Germans dragged me away from my wife, when we would hear American planes overhead my wife would get scared despite my reassurance, which was never lacking, yet I was never able to convince her to not be afraid. Imagine what she had to endure alone after, without me, with 2 children, one of which wasn’t even 10 months old. I was there yet the sound of the planes alone truly scared her. What happened to her when the front arrived, when they neared our area?! How much suffering did she have to endure? Where did she take refuge with our children? How did she bear such agony? Not to mention she had no news from her dear husband, not knowing if he was dead or alive! Oh, damn this war and those who caused it, what pain and suffering!