The engagement of Sarah and Buko Pizanti

This is a photo of the engagement of my parents: my father Buko Pizanti and my mother Sarah Pizanti, nee Lidgi. The photo was taken a long time ago - on 15th June 1920. It was taken after my father returned from the war and when it became safer for him. He had a death sentence as a volunteer soldier in World War I. He was leader of the events in Vladaya, was arrested, court-martialed and since he was under age - at that time one became of age at 21 - he was sent back to the front, where the English captured him and that's how he saved his life. When he returned home, it was already 1913 and he became head of the family. This is their first photo. My father's name was Buko, but he preferred to be called Saltiel. He was born in Vidin on 20th December 1897. After I got married and moved to Sofia, he came to live with us. He was a very strict, but fair man. He never broke his word. He was not a complete atheist, because he kept my grandfather's tallit as a relic, as well as his kippah. When he went to the synagogue, he would put on his tallit and kippah at home. He seldom went to the synagogue though. My mother's name was Sarah, but everyone called her Freda. She was born on 8th August 1895 in Vidin. My mother was a diabetic. She was almost illiterate. During the Law for the Protection of the Nation, she worked as a housemaid for the rich Jews. I, as the youngest child, went with her, peeling onions, potatoes etc. My parents knew each other from early on, because they were neighbors. They dressed like the others. My mother told me that her brother bought her cheap high-heeled shoes. The other sisters wore slippers with heels. My mother was raised by her brother, who also raised his other brothers and sisters. The shoes she was talking about were a bit above the ankle, with laces. Once she cut them from top to the bottom with a knife and he made her sew them together again. Then she continued to wear them for quite some time. Uncle Yako, her brother, bought my mother her first nice pair of shoes when she got engaged. That made her very happy.