National Content: Italy
Bombs on Terni and Massa Martana, a village 30 Km far from there.
| Source | Maria Teresa Cerquetti, 80 years old, witness. |
| Event referred to | City Bombing during world war II |
| Technological characteristics | Type of file: Video Extension: .avi Characteristics : 320X240 Dimension of the file:3,15 mb Availability proposed: Downloadable |
| Description of the source | Kind of source : Interview Origin of the source : Interview with a witness. Language: Italian Copyright issues : Downloadable (agreed with the witness) |
| Contextualisation of the source | Point of view of a young girl who, escaping from bombings on Terni, falls in, as a refugee, with the unexpected ones on Massa Martana, the village where took shelter with her family. |
| Interpretation of the source | The interview shows us the seek for safety in places considered non-military targets for the bombing, the incredulity facing to news on other attacks and the hope undeceived by the events. |
| Original Contents | |
| Original Contents (English Translation) | My name is Maria Teresa Cerquetti. When World War II began schools did not have any notices clearly instructing people what to do in case of bombing. All that we would find written was: “open the windows, turn off the water, the gas and the electricity and go down to the shelter.” However, when the first bombing occurred nobody opened the windows or turned off the gas, but they all ran down the stairs to save themselves. We were not ready for the war. Even the Duce, unlike the allied forces, was not well informed of what could happen during the air raids. They were terrible, they meant destruction and Terni was almost completely destroyed during the 110 air raids. We were so unprepared that the girls working the weapon factory, one of the main targets in town, did not have a shelter and found their death at work. My Godmother’s niece was also killed during the same raid, and so was the daughter of a very nice lady who I would always meet in church. This girl worked at the weapon factory, too, and completely disappeared on that day. They never even found a piece of her clothing. From that day, on November 1st, all Saints day in Italy, her mother would always decorate the altar in church with the most beautiful table clothe and lots of fresh flowers. I really admired this lady. During the evacuation I taught in Massa Martana because my sisters had to study and I needed to make some money. One morning, as I was walking through the square, I heard some people saying that Massa Martana was going to be bombed that night. But nobody was sure of it, nobody would believe it. Then, at around 11 p.m., when I was alone at home with my 15 months old brother, who was asleep, I started to hear the first noises. I grabbed my little brother and ran down to the basement. Even today when my brother and I meet he always says to me: “Had you not promptly grabbed me that day, to take me to the basement, I sure would have died”. |