roma

they are seeking a place

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on July 17, 2007 - 03:37.
in

The fascists destroyed our lives, so that even today we are unable to forget. Today we wander through the whole of Europe, searching for what the fascists took from us. Among us there are children who have Romani mothers and German fathers – children whose mothers were raped and came into the world that way children like J.S. and A. who wander with us as Roma and not as Germans. They also are seeking a place where they can stay and lead meaningful, dignified lives.

4,000 Roma gassed

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on July 15, 2007 - 14:35.
in

On December 16th [1941], Himmler issued the order to have all Roma remaining in Europe deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau for extermination. On December 24th, Lohse gave the additional order that "The Gypsies should be given the same treatment as the Jews." At a party meeting on September 14th, 1942, Justice Minister Otto Thierack announced that "Jews and Gypsies must be unconditionally exterminated." On August 1st, 1944, four thousand Roma were gassed and cremated in a single action at Auschwitz-Birkenau, in what is remembered as Zigeunernacht.

ROMA HOLOCAUST - forgetting the victims

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on July 15, 2007 - 13:40.
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'Roma, commonly but inaccurately called Gypsies, were the only other population besides the Jews who were targeted for extermination on racial grounds in the Final Solution.'

Ian Hancock, Genocide of the Roma in the Holocaust

How many people today are aware that the Roma as a group was as much a victim - if not more so, proportionately - of the Nazi experiment as were the Jews? And how many people today would put their hands on their hearts and say that we should remember this for ever?

The shocking tragedy for those Roma who died as well as for those who miraculously survived, is that their suffering has not just been forgotten by humanity, it has been deliberately forgotten. We have not recognised their victimhood, we have hardly even acknowledged it, and we have done almost nothing to try to compensate - if that were ever possible. Worst of all, we have done nothing to prevent them from becoming victims all over again of exactly the same hatred and blind prejudice that drove the Nazi killers.

Nuggets to try to jog our non-existent memories...

See them all together here

soap...

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on June 24, 2007 - 00:19.
in

Recently, I heard a rather sinister story, which sadly tends to be illustrative, about a project for health education for Romani children. This project, probably funded by European money, wanted to educate Romani children how to properly wash their hands and use soap. The only problem encountered in that project was the total absence of water supply in those settlements, the first pre-condition for Roma to be able to wash their hands.

racial mania

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on May 5, 2007 - 14:08.
in

The genocide of the Sinti and Roma was carried out from the same motive of racial mania, with the same premeditation, with the same wish for the systematic and total extermination as the genocide of the Jews. Complete families from the very young to the very old were systematically murdered within the entire sphere of influence of the National Socialists

pitilessly searing sun

antarchi's picture
Submitted by antarchi on May 5, 2007 - 14:07.
in

what is articulated in the songs of the survivors is that once a person finds himself or herself inside the barbed-wire, there can be no more hope, any more than there can be crying, because the pitilessly searing sun of suffering and destruction scorches the very wells of tears.

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