DANKOV, Regina (1922-2009) – widow of rescuer Sprio Dankov (1919 – 1996)
Regina’s husband, Spiro, saved the lives of 23 Jews during the Holocaust.
After a pogrom in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1943, Spiro followed up on the Jews who were evicted and helped them survive in various ways. He supplied food to Jews arrested in the Somobit work camp. Spiro looked after belongings that the Jews had left behind, and also helped Jewish families stay in contact. After the war Spiro would smuggle Jews to the border, as part of their illegal immigration to Israel. He was arrested because of this activity.
Regina grew up in Bulgaria and was studying law until she was not allowed to continue her studies due to the fact that she was Jewish. She survived the war and upon arriving in Israel she became a nurse. After her first husband passed away she was introduced to Spiro, who escaped from Yugoslavia to Israel with the assistance of those whom he had saved. They were married for 23 years.
