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from Part I - Camp Life: The Reality 1933–1945
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2018
Franc Dermastja-Som was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1919. He was deported to Dachau on January 20, 1944, and registered as prisoner number 102,246. He was sent from there to the concentration camp at Natzweiler and was then returned to Dachau, from which he was later freed.
This poem was written in April 1945, shortly before liberation.
Skupen Grob
Tisoč mož, več, še več
leži v eni jami,
kot polena nametani
skupaj bodo pokopani.
Prst vas bo zasula,
v usta vam bo rila,
še mrtve vas dušila
zemlja tuja in nemila.
IV, 1945Shared Grave
A thousand men, more, and yet more
lying in a single pit,
strewn about like firewood
together will be buried.
The soil will bury you,
into your mouth it will rush
choking you, even in death
in an unkind, foreign land.
April, 1945 —Translated by Kristina Zdravič Reardon and Matevž KersnikTo save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
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