Ida Goldshmidt at the wedding of her colleague Eta

This photograph was taken at the wedding of my colleague Eta and her fiance Feivus. I've forgotten their last name. The bride is in the center and I am standing beside her. It's easy to identify me. I was the tallest and was always shy about it. I don't know the other guests. They were relatives and acquaintances of the newly-weds. This photo was taken in Riga in 1956. In 1947 I became an apprentice at the sewing factory in Riga. I rented a bed from a family. I didn't stay long with those families. When their situation changed, I had to look for another bed. I was pressed for money. Apprentices received 30 rubles of allowance. I paid 15 rubles per month for the bed, and it was difficult to make a living on 15 rubles, particularly after the war, when there was lack of food. When I started working, I didn't earn much either. I was just a beginner, and was paid based on a piece-rate basis. Life was hard, but I knew I could only rely on myself. I joined the Komsomol at the factory. I was an active Komsomol member and participated in all events. After finishing the 8th grade I couldn't afford to continue my studies. I had to earn my living. There were many Jewish, Latvian and Russian employees at the factory, but there was no anti-Semitism. I became a good dressmaker and was offered a job in a shop. They offered a bigger salary and I accepted the offer. There were Jewish employees in the shop. They spoke Yiddish to one another. I had forgotten the language when in children's home, but when I came to this environment, it took me no time to restore my language skills.