Page 119

shooting between the fascists on the roof of Ca 'Soranzo and the partisans on the bridge, they had driven us back.

Even at home there was a lot of confusion due to a constant coming and going of men with green armbands, among whom I recognized some who had used my bed. I was about to turn the corner of the corridor when tara-ta-ta, the floor shook beneath my feet. Another tara-ta and then profound silence.

I had stopped to look at the holes in the floor. From around the corner, Gianfranco's face appeared. It was white. He too had a green armband. Pointing towards the ground I recognized the machine gun that usually was in the secret recess of my bookcase. "Damn," he said. "He left alone..." I looked at the holes between my feet, then I looked at him: "What luck," he said.

"Now you won't go away anymore, will you?" I asked. 

"Hmmm." said Gianfranco. "Go and look for our flag. For one of the three flagpoles in Piazza San Marco. It doesn't matter if it's smaller. In addition to the one in Venice with the Lion, only one with the Savoy coat of arms was found. Look for the flag."

When, three days later, the Allied troops arrived, Venice was full of flags and overflowing with people, there was no family that did not have someone hidden in the house. Only on April 28, when I was in charge of bringing Gianfranco some documents in room no. 32 of the Danieli, I learned that the partisan formation Osoppo had played under the name of "Adriano;" that before being captured by the SS he had been "Intendente Sole della Bassa" (that is, he coordinated the work of the plain formations that provided supplies from the Alps to the karst area); that he had been responsible for the Veneto and for the Franchi organization; who had collaborated with the OSS in one of the most important missions in Northern Italy. In room 32 was Pietro Ferraro, head of this mission,...