Eyewitness Testimony Mario Fazio

= > a The experiences of our fellow citizens in Germany were more or less the same for everyone. We want to hear here from Signor Mario Fazio, who reported the following about his experiences: In Munich (Bavaria), our long transport train was split. Along with many others, two Garessini, Vincenzo Ghiotti and Armando Tersiglio, and especially our compatriots from Bagnacavallo, were forwarded near Cologne on the Rhine. Those who remained behind were transported to Weimar/Thuringia (now East Germany). For two days we were very poorly housed in a theater there. From here, the onward transport took place to the city of Kahla, about 60 km away. As I recall, from Munich we were transported like goods or freight. On our wagons, the address to which we were to be sent was written in large chalk letters. On the way, we came alongside a wagon of onions standing on a dead track. The hardships were already so great that these onions became a luxury meal for us, which we dreamed of for a long time. The first work we had to do was to lay an electric line up a very steep mountain. In case of work accidents, no first aid was given; instead, blows were administered. This job did not last long, and then we were assigned to another task. We had to help build an underground factory where parts for aircraft or also parts for the V1 and V2 were produced. In many tunnels at a depth of about 250 meters, production was already underway. The excavation work for these tunnels had already been started during the First World War between 1915 and 1918 by prisoners of war. Further tunnels were continuously excavated. These were equipped with the most modern technical means. Thus, a real underground city was created. We spoke of a total length of 45 km and of a factory that processed the excavated earth into stoneware (maiolica). We had to work in shifts of 10 to 12 hours. Until Christmas, we received two meals a day, then only one was given to us. One loaf of bread had to be divided among eight people at one meal. Due to the prevailing hunger, this division became a solemn act. One tried to divide these eight pieces as evenly as possible. If someone felt disadvantaged, the following procedure was used: One of us turned around while another pointed to a piece of bread; the first then had to name the person who should receive that piece of bread. After this operation, one tried to pick up the remaining crumbs with moistened fingers, so that not a single bread crumb was lost. As a supplement to the bread, there was a soup cooked from cabbage, turnip leaves, and oats. Once we even received payment, but after that no more, because supposedly our documents were destroyed in a bombing raid. However, there were also groups who fared better. They were regularly paid and could thus at least occasionally buy some bread or a warm meal. The camp leader, whom we called "Hündchen" (little dog), had his own way of dealing with us. We had to line up militarily and march towards Kleineutersdorf to work. Upon arrival at the workplace, we had to show our IDs, which we had to have ready in hand, and were checked by SS men in uniform. These were either former wounded or re-assigned SS soldiers. We did not receive any clothing the entire time. We returned with the same clothing items after nine months of terrible work in the mine to our homeland. When I had a fever, I was examined by an Italian and a German doctor. The Italian doctor diagnosed pleurisy, while the German doctor said it was a mild bronchitis. The German doctor insisted that I had to undress completely. But I wrapped myself in the blanket that Signora Lepetit had given me in Sesto San Giovanni. Then I was mercilessly beaten because I supposedly wanted to shirk work. Then I was sent completely undressed to the so-called sickroom at 22 degrees below zero. There was nothing there but straw. But I had taken the blanket with me. A collective bucket for necessities was available, however. There was nothing to eat because "who does not work does not consume energy and therefore has no hunger," so it was said. Later we got one loaf of bread for 12 people. A group of Italians was housed in a theater. The other Italians were quartered in very different accommodations. We had to work daily, except for Christmas and January 5th. On these occasions, we also received a warm meal. Drinks were also served at the same time. However, these drinks were a very disgusting mixture that caused illnesses. As a result, we had the first deaths, especially among the already very weakened people. These weakened people were apparently considered a burden by the Germans and they wanted to get rid of them. On April 14, 1945, we were admitted to a concentration camp for Russian prisoners of war near Bibra. The Allied troops were not far from us anymore. In the camp were Peläklichen, Tir hahan Ata Алый tetm - IV = drank the remaining contents, as by then 7 - 8 days had already passed without anyone giving us anything to eat. I still clearly remember that I had found five bread corners, which accidentally then fell into the water of a canal. Under great danger, I retrieved them again. Our overseer, who had accompanied us to the camp, had disappeared. We and the Russian prisoners had to form a column and march eastward (probably we were to be evacuated to Czechoslovakia). When we were in a pine forest at night, many of us fled. But there were also many who had already lain in the roadside ditches the day before because they absolutely could not walk any further. The day after next, I met my countryman Carlo Gallo, who had also fled. We stayed together for about 12 days with several French and Belgians in this area. We only ate grass during this time. The roads were crowded with military columns, and these were bombed. We were therefore forced to flee from this area. We found a truck with marmalade, but it had also been hit. So at least once we found something better to eat. The first village we reached also had potatoes. I still remember exactly, Gallo ate 32 pieces and I ate 8 pieces. From a truck, a slaughtered hen was given to us as a gift. We then continued to flee, but we had to take a “rest” every 50 - 60 meters because the general state of exhaustion was too great. We then reached a village where forced Russian prisoners of war could give us something to eat, which they had taken from the Germans before. Despite being at most 25 - 30 km from our first labor camp, after this time of wandering, the Americans finally arrived at the end of April. They took us onto their trucks and housed us with farmers who needed laborers. They brought me to a hospital because I was suffering from dysentery and was also injured, as I had fallen from a hayloft shortly before. In the hospital, I was first treated with carbone vegetale and was discharged after three months weighing 72 kg; I had been admitted weighing only 48 kg. We were then able to return immediately to Italy. I reached Garessio at midnight on July 14. I had only one shoe; I had lost the other. The clothing was still the same I had when we were deported. It was almost the anniversary of this deportation, and the many sufferings had fortunately been overcome.