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.
Anny could be the name of Licco's cousin who did the matchmaking between Licco and his wife Berta.
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.
[VQ: some damage at head] MCU, three women playfully tussling and snowball fighting. 00:00:10 The group of friends sign and dance arm-in-arm on a makeshift stage. Pan of people, including a man pointing out his striped pants, a forced laborer or soldier in uniform (possibly), and a couple with white flowers attached to lapel and adorned as a crown. The cameraman throws snow. 00:02:03 Skiing in the mountains. 00:05:52 Title with picture of skiiers and 5-8 January 1941 date,"Christmas 1941 Alek" (Aleko is the name of a chalet in the Vitosha mountains near the Black Peak; Greek Orthodox Christmas fell on January 7). Skiing and posing on mountainside. 00:10:44 Good MS and CUs of the large group of skiers. 00:16:24 Title with 12 January date,"Radaher and others on the Wal" (Radaher is a family name; the Wall is a skiing resort near Aleko). The friends ski. 00:17:03 Title with 26 January date,"Sham-Kori" (a winter resort in the Rila mountains now called Borovets) with Eva, Lote, Napetov, and Anny. A boy and an older child walk with skis. More skiing. AGFA 8 1939 [8 distinguishes the film gauge of 8mm].
Celebration and Christmas ski holiday in early 1941