Licco Max Haim (1910-2002), an amateur filmmaker, was asked by the military commander of the 4th Construction Company of the 1st (Jewish) Labor Battalion to make a film of their activities and deliver it to him. Licco did so, but managed to hide one 8mm roll (Film ID 4115), shot in the summer of 1941 to build a road in Lakatnik as part of the forced labor battalion. Most of the Jewish men in the unit had resided in Sofia, mostly in the neighborhood of Iuchbunar. After the summer of 1941, Licco was summoned to work on the repair of cars in Sofia, as he was expert as a mechanic. He married Berta on December 18, 1941.
Eleven additional 8mm family films form part of this Licco Max Haim Collection under Film ID 4122 to 4129 and 4136 to 4137.
In early March 1941, Bulgaria joined the Axis alliance and, in April 1941, participated in the German-led attack on Yugoslavia and Greece. In return, Bulgaria received German authorization to occupy most of Greek Thrace, Yugoslav Macedonia, and Pirot County in eastern Serbia. Beginning in July 1940, Bulgarian authorities instituted anti-Jewish legislation that excluded Jews from public service, restricted their choice of places of residence, and restricted their participation in many occupations. However, during the war, German-allied Bulgaria did not deport Jews from the core provinces of Bulgaria. All male Bulgarian Jews were sent to forced labor camps in Bulgaria to build roads and bridges. In 1941, the Bulgarian military oversaw the labor camps and under their rule the treatment of Jewish nationals was harsh, but not completely unhuman. Males aged 20-46 were drafted. Later, the security forces took over managing the labor camps, and conditions worsened. Still, most of Bulgaria's Jews survived the war; in fact, the Jewish population remained the same as it was in 1939 (roughly 50,000), though almost 90% left the country by 1950.
Religious procession through a town-square. Locals gather in front of a bank (with sign in Bulgarian) to watch. A military officer greets the line of armed Bulgarian soldier recruits. 01:11:10 Quick CU of priest. Bulgarian military soldiers with backpacks and weapons are blessed by a priest. 01:11:24 CU of priest reading. Locals observe the ceremony. A man leads others in song. Another view, LS, of the blessing. 01:12:24 A Bulgarian officer speaks to the recruits; a civilian dressed in a suit and glasses reads from a paper. CU, the new troops march away. 01:13:15 One by one, the soldiers kiss a Bible, then the flag, and salute. Locals (women and children) watch the presentation. A band plays and the men march. Bulgarians circle-dance, veteran. Drum corps. MS, the unit marches by; dirt pile in the street.
Blessing of Bulgarian military recruits