Mesko Nikolai with the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Mukachevo

In the photograph I'm on the right. I'm shaking hands with the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Mukachevo. He was named Vas. Though he had a Hungarian name, he wasn't Hungarian. On this occasion Vas was presenting me with a gift for good work. The photo was likely taken in the 1970 in Mukachevo.

I had many friends. I met regularly with the director of a tobacco factory and the director of the movie theater, who was named Molnar. Another of my friends was Mr. Bilinec, also a director of some company, and the mayor in those days was also one of my friends. We would get together at either my place or theirs. Usually we played chess. On state holidays and birthdays we mainly met at the Star Hotel, but also in our apartments. I never had a conflict due to my Jewish origins. On the contrary, they respected and greeted me. For 48 years in a row people elected me to the town council.