Stela Astrukova’s family

This is my family in the living room of my flat.

The photo was taken in 1985 – 1986. There is nothing on the back of the photo. In the second row standing from left to right are Neli Astrukova, wife of my son Evgeni, I am next to her, next to me is the wife of my other son Emil – Medi.

In the first row from left ro right are my son Evgeni, his daughter Linda and son Yosif.

In the middle is my husband Yosif Astrukov and next to him is Emil’s son – Yosif, my son Emil and his daughter Ines.

My husband was somewhat insistent that our sons should marry Jewish women. He believed that Jewish girls had different moral qualities than the others, they were more conservative towards life and values and had a better upbringing.

Both of my sons are married to Jewish women. I think they met their wives in a Jewish choir in which they sang for some time. Evgeni's wife is Neli Samuilova.

They have two children – Linda and Yosif. Yosif is married to a Bulgarian – Mariana and they have a daughter Sara – my great-granddaughter.

Emil is married to Medi Levi, they have two children – Ines and Yosif.

Evgeni and Emil have medical degrees. They applied for positions in the ISUL Hospital [acronym for 'Institute for Specialization and Development of Medics'] and became assistants in the surgery. When ISUL was closed, one of them went to work in chest surgery and the other in 2nd surgery.

We are a family of medics. There are 27 – 28 medics in the family tree of my family.

My husband had pure communist ideals. He never used his position to his advantage.

When he was banished from the army for the second time, he received six salaries and as a compensation we bought this flat on Lyuben Karavelov Str.