Category Archives: News Western Europe

Germany: Reportage

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Germany: Reportage

or 18 years, Jenny Rasche from the Harz Mountains has been dedicated to helping Roma children in Romania, where she now lives. Through her efforts, a slum on the outskirts of Sibiu has been completely transformed; Roma children without prospects have grown into young adults with a future. For her work, this dynamic woman was honored with the Kindernothilfe (Children in Need) Honorary Award on November 14, 2025. Reporter Antje Schneider also closely documented this work for years in the MDR series “Jenny and the Roma Children,” which can be viewed in the ARD Mediathek (ARD Media Library).

Exhibition in Germany

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Exhibition in Germany

Diepholz’ district museum is dedicating a special exhibition to Mariechen Franz, a sintiza who died shortly before her 17th birthday in 1944 in Ravensbrück. The exhibition will open next Saturday. The exhibition thematises the persecution of Sinti and Roma under the Nazi based on the example of Mariechen Franz.

Austrian Memorial

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Austrian Memorial

The musician and activist Harri Stojka is calling for the swift construction of a memorial for Roma and Sinti in Austria at Schmerlingplatz in Vienna. “There, at a historically significant location in the heart of Vienna, a visible symbol of remembrance and recognition should be erected.”

Lackenbach

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Lackenbach

On Saturday, the Roma and Sinti who were murdered during the National Socialist regime were commemorated in Lackenbach. Along with numerous state politicians, the Minister of Justice, Anna Sporrer (SPÖ), participated. Of the 4,000 Roma and Sinti who were interned in the Lackenbach camp since the summer of 1940, only 300 to 400 survived the liberation of the camp in the summer of 1945.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Almost no news about Roma this week in France. An expulsion, five days before the winter expulsion truce in France. And a testimony of a Romni who was deported to the French camp of Rivesaltes and who says the French were worse than the German.

Germany and Memorial Sites

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Germany and Memorial Sites

The German Federal Cabinet has adopted a new concept for memorial sites commemorating the crimes of National Socialism and the injustices committed in the GDR. Since there are fewer and fewer living witnesses, younger generations are to be informed using digitization, for example, with holograms of eyewitnesses. The concept also focuses on preserving historical sites and promoting education and research through new exhibition formats.

Z-Word

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Z-Word

Timur Husein, a CDU representative in Berlin and the speaker for antisemitism in the Berlin Parliament, is being criticised for a tweet using the Z-word and really playing with stereotypes. He said, regarding the SPD candidate for mayor of the city:

LINKE-Bürgermeisterkandidatin @ElifEralpBerlin will, dass alle illegalen Sinti & Roma (Zigeuner) aus dem Ausland in Deutschland bleiben dürfen (so im Neuen Deutschland). Neuer Pull-Faktor für weitere illegale Zuwanderung! Um das zu verhindern, am 20.9.2026 CDU wählen!

Left Party mayoral candidate @ElifEralpBerlin wants all illegal Sinti and Roma (Gypsies) from abroad to be allowed to stay in Germany (according to Neues Deutschland). This would create a new pull factor for further illegal immigration! To prevent this, vote CDU on September 20, 2026!

This politician doesn’t even know that outside of Germany, France, and Italy, there are no Sinti (or so few that it doesn’t matter).

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Not much this week in France about Roma. Several camps in the region around Paris were vacated without expulsion. In the north of France, an NOGo noted 2300 expulsions. And in central France, a huge meeting of evangelical Roma with more than 40’000 people.

Germany and Racism

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Germany and Racism

The Higher Regional Court Thürigen (OLG) has decided not to open the case against Bengt Fuchs, Vice President of the Gera Administrative Court, on charges of incitement to hatred.

The Gera Public Prosecutor’s Office indicted Fuchs in April 2025. The indictment stemmed from a Facebook post in which he referred to members of the Sinti and Roma community as “rotating Europeans with a weakness in property rights.” The Public Prosecutor’s Office considered this to constitute the offense of incitement to hatred under Section 130 of the German Criminal Code (StGB).

Well, this is racism.

Slovenia: Manifestations

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Slovenia: Manifestations

Two articles in the French press about the manifestations and fall out after a man was killed after being aggressed by Roma in Novo Mesto.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Many articles about Roma this week in France.  Four camps in Hellemes, in the North of France will be dismantled shortly. One camp in Annecy in the French alps will also be closed in November. A large camp that exists since 5 years will be closed in Marseille. In the same city afire broke out in another Roma camp. Near Paris, another camp is slated for closure. In Annecy, tensions are on the rise between residents and Roma from a nearby camp.

Evacuation d’un camp de roms installé près des Espaces V à Villepinte. In: Aulnay Libre. 28.10.2025. https://www.aulnaylibre.com/2025/10/evacuation-d-un-camp-de-roms-installe-pres-des-espaces-v-a-villepinte.html

Rome, Roma, and Threats

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Rome, Roma, and Threats

Last October, two villas illegally built by a family involved in various criminal activities were destroyed in Via Arzachena, in the Rocca Cencia area of greater Rome.

Now, Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri is being threatened on social media: A young man in a black overall holding a submachine gun: “This is for you, Mayor, and for your family. Just as you’ve already destroyed our house, I’ll destroy yours; time will tell. The State doesn’t scare me.”

The threats on social media against Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, along with the Facebook post since deleted, were made by Silvio Hilicic, nicknamed “Silvio Silvietto,” a member of the Komarov-Hilicic family.

The Italian press qualifies them as Sinti, which seems dubious.

TikTok and Greek Roma

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TikTok and Greek Roma

An article about Roma who publish on TikTok, with a huge success and millions of views. But behind this, the reality is different and stereotypes are prevalent in Greece.

The article says: On the Greek social network TikTok, catchy Gypsy songs, kitschy weddings, and passionate dancing all night long have gone viral. Stef Tony, a Roma artist from Menidi, a suburb of Athens, performs in the middle of Roma camps or promotes singers from his community. Musician Stathis Xenos is a hit on the network with his song “Eimai Roma. Mia tzigana mou exei parei ta miala” (“I am Roma. A Gypsy woman made me crazy with love”), which has been taken up by thousands of users.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

More news this week. The question of the relocation of the inhabitants of one of the largest Roma settlement in France near Nantes, is still open. In a small commune in Britanny, the mayor and the village is involved in finding decent lodging solutions for the Roma living in a camp there. In the South, the new prefect of the region is multiplying expulsions of Roma. The story of a student who was attacked by Roma in Grenoble to steal his mobile. The main perpetrator apparently fled France to Romania. Finally, the movie “A Bras Ouverts”, heavily criticised and rightly so for its pandering of racist stereotypes is apparently having a huge success on Netflix in France.

Georges Soros and Roma

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Georges Soros and Roma

Georges Soros was awarded the European Civil Prize for his work for Roma.

Well done.

His son Alex Soros received the prize onhis behalf at a ceremony in Berlin.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Not much this week in French news about Roma. An Arte Documentary on stereotypes; on the Jubilee in Roma for Roma; and one article about a declaration of a new organisation of a Romano state without land.

Roma Jubilee in Rome

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Roma Jubilee in Rome

Many articles about the Jubilee of Sinti, Roma, and Travellers in Rome.

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