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My father couldn’t practice his job anymore. It was impossible to own land, or to own a shop. This was the end to our rice-growing. We paid 25 percent taxes all the time on our property. [This wasn’t due to the Law for the Protection of the Nation but another law, which was passed in 1941. Its exact name was a Law for One-off Taxation on the Property of the Individuals from Jewish Origin and it was published in the official gazette, issue 151 from 14th August 1941. In general, throughout 1941 the 25th National Assembly voted and passed laws which in their essence were aimed at the economic restriction of the Jews.] We wrote declarations all the time where we declared our properties so that we could be taxed. We paid a thousand types of taxes on the houses as well. We were extremely suppressed.
There were job restrictions, too, because there was a law: in order to hire a Jew at a certain place there had to work at least three Bulgarians. So the proportion Bulgarians – Jews was supposed to be three – one. Where could you find such a working place in Pazardzhik? Who was brave enough to hire a Jew? There were parts of the town where Jews weren’t allowed at all.
There were job restrictions, too, because there was a law: in order to hire a Jew at a certain place there had to work at least three Bulgarians. So the proportion Bulgarians – Jews was supposed to be three – one. Where could you find such a working place in Pazardzhik? Who was brave enough to hire a Jew? There were parts of the town where Jews weren’t allowed at all.
Period
Year
1941
Location
Pazardzhik
Bulgaria
Interview
Sofi Eshua Danon-Moshe