Roma and Sinti Genocide

A monument to the memory of murdered Roma people, a wooden sculpture of a kneeling woman placed in the middle of a forest.
Monument to the Memory of the Roma genocide, Borzęcin, Poland.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Roma and Sinti Genocide

After the Second World War began, one group subjected to complete extermination was Sinti and Roma.

Before the war, more than 20,000 of them had lived in the Third Reich. Already in 1926, legal regulations pertaining to ‘Gypsies, peddlers and people shirking work’ were introduced in Bavaria. On that basis, unemployed Roma people were sent to resocialisation centres. The nomadic style of some Sinti and Roma was one of the arguments used to label them anti-social and to oppose mixed marriages in Germany. Ingrained stereotypes associated with, for example, criminality influenced their negative perception. From 1933 on, such legislation extended to the entire Third Reich.

Marginalised Histories

Persecution and Discrimination of Roma and Sinti

Discover case studies and biographies of Roma and Sinti which reveal their discrimination and persecution in the pre-World War II Europe.

Marginalised Histories’ is an online tool which aims to introduce Roma and Sinti history into the learning practice of teachers and educators. On the interactive map you will find five countries. By clicking on one of territories, you will read case studies of discrimination and persecution of Roma and Sinti before the Second World War. Additionally you will find information on circumstances of Roma and Sinti genocide during the the Second World War in each of the countries. This map has been designed to be used with students aged 15 years old and over.

In the ‘Activities for students’ section you will find several proposals on how to use this ‘Marginalised Histories’ map with your students. They contain ideas such as writing journal relating to a historical figure  simulating the International Court of Human Rights or sending a letter to the past.

Click below to see the map: 

 


Watch on the website

Remember. 23 August: Emílie Machálková

Elina Machálkova (1926 – 2017) was born into a Czech Roma family, faced persecution under Nazi occupation. She was forced to leave school and work in a factory, she narrowly escaped deportation. After the war, she co-founded the first museum in Europe focusing on the history and culture of the Roma and published a book on her family's history, dedicated to preserving Roma culture and history.

Remember. 23 August: Johann “Rukeli” Trollmann

Johann “Rukeli” Trollmann (1907-1944) was a German Sinti boxer. He won the German light heavyweight title, only to have it stripped by the Nazis due to his heritage and "un-German" style. He endured forced sterilization, forced labour, and eventually died in a concentration camp, reportedly beaten to death by a kapo he had once defeated in a boxing match.

’How to talk about history of Roma and Sinti in the classroom?’ | Recording from the webinar

The webinar aims to shed light on the persecution of Roma and Sinti and examine ongoing forms of discrimination that these communities continue to face. By exploring their experiences, we hope to foster a deeper understanding and awareness of the struggles of marginalized groups.

View and download photos