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My ancestors came from Spain more than five hundred years ago, when the Jews were persecuted in Spain [see Expulsion of the Jews from Spain] [1]. Some were executed during the Inquisition, others adopted Christianity, but most left and settled on the Balkan Peninsula. My ancestors originate from the Sephardi Jews. The family name of my paternal grandparents is Molho, but my name is Molhov in accordance with the Bulgarian standards for family name endings.
My father Mevorah Molho's kin is from the town of Pazardjik. His father, Haim Molho, was born there in 1815. I have seen him only on a portrait with a long white beard, standing in front of the house, along with my grandmother Vizanka Molho, who was his third wife. I don't know her maiden name. My father told me that it must have been fate that my grandfather's first wife died, then he married again, but his second wife also died and he married for the third time. My father was born to my grandfather's third wife. But his third wife also died and he married again. I only remember his fourth wife when she was quite old. When my grandfather died, she moved to live in Plovdiv with her two children, Uncle Mois Molho and Aunt Bucha.
My family kept closely in touch with my grandmother and treated her like a real relative. I kept in touch with Uncle Mois and Aunt Bucha, who were very close to my father. My grandfather lived up to the age of 98. According to my father, one day my grandfather was sitting in a café in Pazardjik. There was one Jew in town who was crazy. This Jew decided to play a joke on my grandfather and told him that his son, Mevorah, my father, had been killed at the front, where he was fighting in the Bulgarian army during the Balkan War in 1912-13 [see First Balkan War and Second Balkan War] [2]. My grandfather got so frightened that he had a stroke and died.
My father Mevorah Molho's kin is from the town of Pazardjik. His father, Haim Molho, was born there in 1815. I have seen him only on a portrait with a long white beard, standing in front of the house, along with my grandmother Vizanka Molho, who was his third wife. I don't know her maiden name. My father told me that it must have been fate that my grandfather's first wife died, then he married again, but his second wife also died and he married for the third time. My father was born to my grandfather's third wife. But his third wife also died and he married again. I only remember his fourth wife when she was quite old. When my grandfather died, she moved to live in Plovdiv with her two children, Uncle Mois Molho and Aunt Bucha.
My family kept closely in touch with my grandmother and treated her like a real relative. I kept in touch with Uncle Mois and Aunt Bucha, who were very close to my father. My grandfather lived up to the age of 98. According to my father, one day my grandfather was sitting in a café in Pazardjik. There was one Jew in town who was crazy. This Jew decided to play a joke on my grandfather and told him that his son, Mevorah, my father, had been killed at the front, where he was fighting in the Bulgarian army during the Balkan War in 1912-13 [see First Balkan War and Second Balkan War] [2]. My grandfather got so frightened that he had a stroke and died.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
haim molhov