His words

My Miserable Life

Written by Domenico D’Angela (Toronto, January 28th, 1997)

It was 1940. At eighteen years young. For the sake of a few lire in my pocket, with a strong youth and blood in my veins, I and seven companions decided to go to work. In Rome, there was a request to collect hay. So, we decided to go by bicycle, which was a hundred thirty kilometers and it took us seven hours and a half to get there. We only ate a loaf of bread and little finger of sausage. We arrived in Rome. It all seemed curious, because we never ventured far from our homes. We found the owner who asked us to work. For accommodation, we were given a stable with animals and slept on straw, but we were all happy that we were paid two cents per hour and we worked thirteen hours a day.

In the evening, we ate together; a little of pasta and with a spicy sauce and a kilo of bread for each person in the day with one hundred grams of mortadella and a hot water barrel. And so we were all happy that we seemed to do all that was necessary to make money, and we did not mind the sweat that was thrown off of us. I finished the job in that place, and they sent us to another area. It was worse because to buy food it was far (twelve kilometers from Velletri) and in the country, it was eight kilometers uphill. We went in two every other day after work, and we worked twenty two days and we gained six hundred lire. The first trip from home went well.

In 1940, war broke out, and on February 2, forty-two men left for the military. I was assigned to the 232nd Infantry Regiment in Bologna. I arrived at the barracks, and I found seven of my companions and villagers. Everything was new to see - the environment, how we did exercise every morning with an hour of the alarm clock. I washed my bed and reheated pre-made coffee for the march that was fifty, sixty or even eighty kilometers at a time, with a backpack on my back, a rifle and a shirt; but we sang occasionally.

When you arrived at their destination, they would give us a ladle of broth and a chicken, but the hunger was not lacking. I was transferred to the shore to guard the roadways to the armaments. After Terni and then Ebole, they arranged that we leave for Greece. We spent fourteen days by train and arrived in Greece. They drove us to an island called Samos. They assigned me to a group that was the guard of all, and the island.

But often the rebels appeared and we had to always drive away these rebels. You had to continually run to keep the military command. Sacrifices and hope in God that someday it would end. But one day, the Greek rebels told us that the war was about to be lost, then you wanted to liberate the Greeks, but they killed two of our soldiers who they believed were commanding them.

Our command was still in force. A circle was made and all suspects to have clothes from soldiers were brought to the mountains and among all of them were 52 people who were killed. Even in my group, there were men who had courage to kill a person like it was nothing - like they were a peasant. But after ten days of the massacre, the Germans arrived and made us all prisoners - that was November 24^th of 1944.

Another station of the cross that began - four days without eating and to drink, so I drank sea water by making holes in the sand that filtered itself a bit. After five days, they gave us a cup of broth and that continued for quite some time.

But then they had to take off from this island of Samos, because the British approached. While they were loading us into a commercial ship, the English bombers arrived to bomb this ship. But they were not been able to hit it; I was a hundred and fifty meters from the ship. The bombs destroyed all near and the ship was not hit. Inside there were already three hundred people. They continued to load us. Twice the English bombers had bombed us, luckily everything went well but out of fear that the bombers would return, and we departed right away. You weren’t able to calmly go down the stairs into the ship, they threw us inside as it was happening and then you make the best of it. But the cries because people were thrown on top of each other.

The second station of the cross – they put us into the ship a thousand and two hundred soldiers. It was a big room, we were all on foot, packed like sardines, unable to breathe. You must stand on tiptoe to receive a bit of air. Sweat poured down. One of us started to shout, but the Germans turned their guns to us: "Silence, or I shoot you all".

We started from Samos at 6:30. We arrived at 4:30am in Athens (Gireo) and dropped us off at a certain barrack where the straw was full of bedbugs and lice. The meal - a cup of water with a few pieces of potatoes. For drinking and washing, they gave carriages with four wheels and a rusty iron barrel and to not make the water fall, because everyone was waiting for it, we put the straw inside. It was the colour of ginger ale and was hard to catch it because we were a thousand and two hundred prisoners.

Second Station of the Cross

On December 15^th, they reloaded us onto the train - fifty people per carriage, tight as sardines and a bucket for each carriage as the toilet. Yes. The bucket was rarely used because we did not eat, but there were fifty men to share it. They made us throw it out every three or four days. Those who used it had to keep it close and many times, there were sudden movements of the train and the contents splashed upon the person using it. What smell and curses. And lice.

We arrived in Seoplie (Bulgaria) on Christmas Eve and we were told that the king's son, Umberto di Savoio, gave us food - all were happy. So after all this, they brought us a bucket of water with a few grains of pasta and every person took a cup to keep us from dying. But the journey continues, you didn’t know where they would take us. You didn’t feel the cold because the lice kept us warm. We arrived in Romania. There wasn’t room, so they brought us to Bulgaria, there was no room and they offloaded us in Serbia in a large barrack. They gave us straw on the ground like animals and the ground was all wet. For water, there was only one well with a bucket. For the toilet, there was a ditch of 8 feet wide and 10 feet long with four boards per thousand and two hundred people. Occasionally, the boards broke due to too much weight, and all fell in the middle of shit. There was no water, you wash yourself with snow - cleaning in a hurry - the stench no one felt because everyone stunk. This town was called Tacodino.

And so the third cavalry of work that made us work on the railroad. There needed to be another railway from Greece to Yugoslavia. In the morning, you woke up at 5:30, one thousand and two hundred people had to pass through one door. It was also who you passed above, for fear of the six guards who were the S.S. were watching us. For them, we were like animals. Luckily for me, I ended up with a group of seventy five people who were brought to work in another place along with other Polish prisoners, where we made bridges and kneaded cement by hand in eight pairs, ten hours a day. But they gave us a half cup of potatoes and one hundred grams of bread a day. I was hoping that spring would arrive with some chicory, I ate grass in order to live. Like this, we must work with passion. As the Russians approached, so they took us to Austria, a town named Spitz at the Donau, where a gas refinery was built, together with Jewish men and women, and these people were all educated people and an old woman said when we met her that "you Italians will go home, but we will not." We didn’t know what would happen to them, but the old woman knew her ugly ending would be in Malta. But one beautiful day, if only they could overtake the Germans, but who knows her ending. Shortly after the Russians were approaching, and for us, the treatment by the Germans got worse. Only once did we talk about the guards that we had, otherwise, beatings. Their command was final - shut up.

There was a bath under a rock, outside, with a bucket of water and with temperature below zero, but as it was the poisoned skin did not feel the cold. We used to boil clothes in a bucket and we washed after half an hour, but the clothes returned full of lice, but never on the head. Once, the alarm sounded that Russian planes were bombing the Danube and we were next to the river. All ran away! And I thought where there were certain zucchini plants to steal. At that moment, I fell into the river and it almost costed me my skin to eat the zucchini, but we made ourselves a lunch with my mates.

But as the days passed, the Russians were approaching, and for us it was always more dangerous due to the bombings that made certain night skies light up. But one fine day in the morning, we found ourselves alone, all the guards had disappeared. A Russian army arrived and we found ourselves with the Russians. They killed two of ours, but let us free and we were seventy five. We had set out to go to Italy but all around there were armed Germans and stragglers that could avenge us.

And so we walked three days, and we did one hundred and eighty kilometers to go to another town called Linz (Austria). There we found the concentration camp with the Americans, it was an area with more than forty thousand prisoners. The hungriest that I have ever seen with the cursed Americans. It was April 10 of 1945, the grass began to grow, and so we searched for chicory in the midst of a forest where there was some ground moss. But there were some flies, so I thought there was buried meat. Immediately we dug and there was half a shoulder horse killed at least three or four days prior with a hundred worms. But a cleaning did the job, and we went home. But the difficulty was to wash the meat - there was only a well and there was always a line, then had to wait until after midnight to cook it and just as we started to boil we began to drink the broth and after the flesh. With that, there was a big party.

Then we went around and saw a large field of worked earth, and I remembered that they must have sown something. I thought of potatoes. Immediately, with my hands like a hoe, I found half-sown potatoes or even some whole. I knew the distance, so I kept the food in my jacket chest and I ate for a few days. But that field in two days was clean, because we were forty thousand starved. The Americans treated us worse than the Germans ... what an ugly race ... without allowing us to disinfect the lice and we were half dead.

Lucky, the 1^st of May of 1945, the Italian government allowed re-entrance to Italy and reloaded each onto a truck - we were packed like sardines. But the joy of liberation, without never having news of the family for two and a half years. After fifteen days of travel, I returned home, and luckily I found the family all right. But they were missing still others and my three brothers were also prisoners - Luigi in Africa, Tullio in America, Honorius to Yugoslavia, and I in Germany. I was the first to return. A few months later the three brothers have returned as well and so it was a great joy to be back in the family healthy and safe. Some saint helped us thank God. It was a real joy in the family, especially for the parents.

Third Way of the Cross

Given that we all returned from captivity, we worked the land, the harvest was always a little, and was always hard to make a pair of trousers and have a penny in my pocket. So the six reunited, we decided to smuggle ourselves into France. To work, we found one that accompanied us and helped us pass for twenty thousand lire. We arrived there, we had to pass the night borders on the mountain peaks. We left at midnight to walk six hours to a mountain road and we feared that we may disturb the guards. But they made us pay first - eleven thousand lire.

We arrived on top of a mountain, there was a small house and they told us that they would retreat for a bit. It was raining badly, and on those walls, it was written that ‘the villains have left us’. We left, we did not wait and so we decided to go down the mountain to get some transportation to go to Lyon where there was the sister and other relatives of my companions. We only walked a few steps when a cop stopped us, reinforcements arrived and they took us to the city center where there were more than two thousand smugglers like us. Lots of information. There were two of us that spoke French and also the brother of Tullio, but you could not go out to buy something to eat. The next day we were given a soup of water and potatoes and there inside all were equally hungry.

After eight days, they decided that they would take us to work at the mines of Moselle. They loaded us onto a train. After two days we found ourselves stuck in a dead end. A conductor came but I was suspicious of him because we were there, but it was the mistake of the conductor that had left us there. The police arrived and took us to a meeting place, a temporary monastery, while they did not have our information. There was an old monk who was the most disgraced, we called Capannolo, old and ugly. He gave us a little bit of a meal and of soup. He told us: ‘you do not know how much this meal costs. But you have to go to work on the railroad and you have to pay this housing and then you can go where you want’.

So we worked fifteen days and paid for everything and so we went by our own to Lyon. A friend named Seimie gave us the job. But it was a chemical that made for terrible work, chemicals for the health. My brother-in-law, Onorio, ended his tuberculosis. And after two years with the gain I had made, I could not buy a shirt. Fortunately, myself and another stayed with a sister and she made us pay very little, but there was still the tax on the food; you couldn’t treat yourself to much. One day I decided, I said France is not steady. I returned to Italy. But I can also thank France for giving me a small pension for life of sixty four lire per month. Thank you France!

Fifth Way of the Cross

I was thinking still of leaving again - there was a request to go to work in Uruguay. It was thought that we had a high currency and the nation said it was rich, so we decided, twenty men (I first, Luigi, Tullio, and brother-in-law of Tullio) to go. I told them it was nonsense to go; who knows what what we will find. I am young but you have family, but it was said that the Italian government did not want anyone leaving from Italy, yet with this fear, we left together and we paid one hundred forty two thousand lire apiece for the journey with a ship under the name of The Anna L. For the trip, all were happy that we were on the way to South America and how we ate! We were all together the fifteen friends and they treated us well, even how well we ate. But we were like pigs; the waiter was tired of bringing more food, like species of fish. You stuff yourself until you would explode. One time, the waiter said to us that he would like to meet us again. You will see that there it is dark in South America. That there is no work, and he figured out the situation after a month. My blood went cold.

We arrived after twenty days in Rio de Janeiro. It was impressive to look at the environment, the environment for the black people of the city and an Italian who went back to Italy told us that he wasted time, that there was nothing to do, and he earned nothing. This is the America of a rag shoe. Patience. Four more days ship to Montevideo.

We arrived at the port. No one knew where to go, so we approached one and he took us to a hotel, and so we all stayed in a big room. The food was to be made in a corridor. To cook, we were given a pot. And a 'primus' - like a lamp that works on petroleum and so we are equipped well, but it took a long time to boil water. The sauce we made immediately with meat that we all required good teeth. After a few days, we got a job to pave a large square. We arrived there in July and how warm it was. And most of the days there was always a strong wind with a sand that blinded you. Luckily we had water - when you drank it, it would peel my mouth because it was warm. On the day you buy a loaf of bread and a hundred grams of mortadella and then drink if you want. The best was when we received the first pay that they paid us three pounds and twenty a day. Each pound was worth a pound and twenty was a dollar. The first month we earned less than you earned in Italy and gave you three times to eat. The swearing because we made a wrong step. Many had traveled to debt.

The first month was dark. After we separated, and we remained in eight that the others had found another job. The brothers with others had found work in the construction. They were not equipped manufacturers. They killed themselves with work. Luckily it was an Italian comrade from Rome who was named Lamaro and was well equipped and so there was work. I, fortunately, I found a job in a textile factory building, the owners were all Italian. We were four men and one hundred fifty two women who made fabric. The work was good but little was earned, so I took another job at night at a pasta factory that also had Italian owners. I received good pay there, but it didn’t not correspond because you've received few pounds. Luckily I found a family. Italian family from Venice and so we were able to leave the hotel where we paid even more for lodging. In the midst of this house, there were prostitutes. When they passed they began to look at what was cooking (they desperately needed money). But for us, we never went out because we had our own pain. We must redo the journey to return. And since there was the likelihood that someone could call to come to Canada, so our group completed a year and a little more. But all returned to Italy. I completed two and a half years with double the work and when I knew that I too had the opportunity (like the brothers that made me come here), right away I made the decision and returned.

With earnings of six hundred thousand lire. I decided that as soon as I returned, I had to marry. The first girl that I met I had to marry and correctly. I had married two years later. In 1953. 

In 1955, Ennio was born. A few months later I left to come here, in Canada.

This was the ultimate distance away from my parents, the family, all - I keep always this impression, because in my mind, I told myself I would not return anymore. After twenty five years, we returned. But, loved ones were there no more. This was but when I made the decision to call my wife, but also in starting I said, 'if Canada is a land of bread, and land of opportunity, in two years I will decide to call you back and you will come here too, or I will return to Italy'. I was sick of going on a journey around the world. My destiny was so.

I started on February 16 with a ship called Vuleanio from Naples and first arrived in Genoa. The motor’s shaft broke, we arrived in Genoa and we were waiting four days to have it repaired but it could not be repaired. The ship was English and had to return to England, so with only one engine it walked and it took us eighteen days to come in Canada.

We landed in Halifax – what a bad impression that gave me of the port. They loaded us onto the train to come to Toronto. While, the train was full of ice but it was all frozen. They could see some cars half-covered with snow, certain that my heart was beating less, but with a friend from South America, and to find the brothers here I encouraged myself.

I was sure that would meet the sacrifice, so the first times had been especially hard work and little pay. I started at seventy five dollars to put up ciproca. With nails in my mouth, always with the hope of a pay increase. And I began to work for a contractor on the day of St. Joseph, and condemned me to always do the same work and I thanked God for how it turned out.

November 12, 1999

I want to remind myself a little of my life, of my sufferings of diseases and operations that have occurred during my coming to Canada. The hands alone had six operations - this disease is called "contracene". I have to do yet another finger. Three hip operations at the thighs. Then cataracts in the eyes that made me go to see doctor Caldarelli. Yet another operation for a hernia that was the most painful I had in four days because my doctor Caruso did not understand my illness. Fortunately, after five days I was operated and thank God also went well and so after 25 years we changed the doctor and his name is Michael Ciamfrone with the hope that he is better. Meanwhile, from October 9^th, 1999, and after a month (November 12^th, 1999), I started to feel better, so thank you again to God for how things turned out. Who knows the future. Patience.

January 25^th, 2000

Once again, I began to feel the pain in a hand and so the doctor sent me to a specialist who is called Martino and he was a plastic surgeon. I even redid a hand operating this disease called "contracene" as the seventh operation to my hands. Thanked God more and also that they were healed. But I think it still is not finished, though I hope so. It restarted January 25^th still with annoying appointments with an orthopedic doctor with pain in the knee, and operation was required, so on March 6^th I was in the hospital. The doctor’s name is Kic Kzarnett (telephone 416 636 9965). Here arrives March 6^th, and they operate on my knee for an hour and a half, which fortunately everything went well from day after day. The operation made me feel better. I had to stay in the hospital seven days. Then they took me to Betri recovery and had to do therapy. Fortunately it healed well and I was able to do more and then ten days later they sent me away. It costed me ninety five dollars and I hope that everything heals well thanking the Lord God. I'm happy again.

May 15^th, 2001

After two months and ten days, my family doctor rescheduled another doctor's appointment with Zarnet. The dottor must see if everything is perfect with the operation.

I was told that there is a newspaper that those who were prisoners in Germany can apply; if they accept. There is some reward money and you must go to the Patrinato, fill out many papers and send them to the German consulate to wait to know the result. I had an appointment at the Patrinato on July 4^th - let's go finish but who knows. I need to remember all the places where I worked and where I was.

I remember that I was in Serbia a year and a half working for the railroad and making concrete bridges. We were 75 with the guards and the town was Ciripria near Jocodino. After, Spitz al Donau to a factory more than one year from when the war ended we walked from Spitz al Donau to Linz (180 km) by foot. We were seventy five and on the street the Russians killed two companions - a Calabrian and a boy of Bari - and with us there was a Health Officer which remained with the dead and we had to leave because the Russians were all drunk and could kill others. Hunger, lice and chicory on the way and by the way we found a free train with half rotten potatoes but it was all right for the hungry. I arrived in Linz, I hoped we would be given something to eat – instead, the first day there was nothing as there was confusion because we were 40 thousand – a field of half dead people abandoned of all races of the world.

And there I found a villager who I knew from back home and his name was Onorio D'Andrea and so we made a close friendship and we were in the same group. We comforted each other - that life was a sacrifice and we always brought ourselves to walk many times to come to a place we thought of eating a little bit of soup that they gave, and to rest a little. Arrived an order that there were rebels in another place and we departed immediately. You experience hunger and fatigue and if you can, resist it.