Rahela Perisic with her classmates

The picture was taken in Banja Luka in 1939. I am pictured seated holding a ball in my arms, second from the left. Professor Bukinac is also pictured. When this picture was taken one could already feel that some evil was coming. Since I was the only Jew in my grade I already felt what it means to be a Jew. The Numerus Klauza law was already in effect and limited schooling for Jews. The law was especially rigorous towards those students that wanted to enroll in the higher grades of the gymnasium. The director of my gymnasium, at the teacher's board meeting, tried to have me thrown out of the school. As luck would have it, the psychics professor Mrs. Kosovka, the literature professor Mr. Djurovic and the geography professor were all against his decision. Their argument was: If we must throw someone out, better it be someone from the lower grades, a younger student who has time, so let's say he can transfer to a trade rather than me who is already near the end. Thanks to them they did not throw me out of the gymnasium. on I constantly socialized with these forward thinking young people.