This is my friend from my childhood years - Mati [Matilda] Yomtov. The photo was taken in Sofia in 1942, a year before we were interned to Shumen. At this time, both of us were 13 years old.
I remember very well the Sofia Jews' demonstration in protest to the government's decision for interning us. It was on 24th May 1943. At that time I was already 15 years old, but I was not a member of the Union of Young Workers, in contrast to my sister Jina, who was. Well, on this day I was just walking down Klementina Square with my sister Jina when we met acquaintances from the Jewish community. They informed us that they were going to organize a manifestation addressed to King Boris III and against his decision for our internment. After that, the whole Jewish community gathered in the synagogue. And our procession started from there to Klementina Square. We reached Father Paisii Street, near Bet Am. And suddenly mounted police appeared in front of us. A severe scrimmage followed while we, the kids, fled away in all directions. I remember that I started running from Father Paisii Street and I stopped as far as Osogovo Street, in the Jewish school. Then I hid with a friend of mine. The police started visiting the Jewish families, from house to house, and they arrested all the Jewish men. Not before long, they interned us.
