Category Archives: Germany

Germany

RomnoPower

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RomnoPower

As part of the RomnoPower Culture Week 2025, Cinema Quadrat and the Baden-Württemberg Association of German Sinti and Roma will present

director Adrian Oeser’s two documentaries in person. In addition, protagonist Wesley Höllenreiner will provide insights into his family history. Both films address the long periods of disenfranchisement of Sinti and Roma.

Germany News Western Europe

Leni Riefenstahl

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Leni Riefenstahl

Andres Veiel’s rich investigative documentary “Riefenstahl” states the obvious: The infamous German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl was an outright Nazi. But as with any good film, the key isn’t what it’s about but how it’s about it. Given full access to the personal archive of the director who made “Olympia” and “Triumph of the Will,” Veiel builds an overwhelming, indisputable case that not only was Riefenstahl a Nazi, but you also can’t separate the art from this artist’s politics.

Germany News Western Europe

Reimar Gilsenbach

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Reimar Gilsenbach

One of the earliest activists who fought for the recognition of the Genocide of the Roma was born 100 years ago.

In early 1965, the popular Eastern German (GDR) newspaper Wochenpost published a letter from a Sintiza from Leipzig. In it, she described the persecution during the Nazi era, but also the discrimination in the GDR. “They see us as idlers, call us scumbags […] But no one considers that we too suffered bitter hardship, that the earth at Auschwitz and other camps was stained red with our blood. […] I would be grateful for an article.”

The editor who received these letters was Reimar Gilsenbach. He researched, found other Sinti, and wrote an article – which, however, was never published. In it, he mentioned the Marzahn forced labour camp for the first time. In connection with the preparations for the 1936 Olympic Games, police units interned Sinti and Roma there.

Germany News Western Europe

German Archive

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German Archive

Archive material on the persecution of Roma, Sinti, Yenish and other people defined as “Gypsies” under National Socialism has been released.

https://www.bundesarchiv.de/themen-entdecken/online-entdecken/geschichtsgalerien/archivgut-zur-verfolgung-von-roma-sinti-jenischen-und-anderen-im-nationalsozialismus-als-zigeuner-definierten-menschen/

Germany News Western Europe

Koblenz: Demo

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Koblenz: Demo

The Grandmas Against the Right in Koblenz and the surrounding area, in coordination with the associations “Culture and Integration Rhineland-Palatinate” and “State Council of German Sinti & Roma Rhineland-Palatinate,” are calling for a vigil in solidarity with Sinti and Roma.

Once again, abhorrent, right-wing extremist, and extremely dehumanizing propaganda against Sinti and Roma has been graffiti-covered on the streets of Koblenz. We will not tolerate this, we cannot remain silent, and we are taking a stand against it.

Germany News Western Europe

“Djelem Djelem” Festival

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“Djelem Djelem” Festival

For the twelfth time, the “Djelem Djelem” cultural festival in Dortmund, Germany, invites visitors to numerous events in September. At Germany’s largest Sinti and Roma cultural festival, visitors can immerse themselves in the art, culture, history, and present of the Sinte*zze and Roma.

From September 1st to 15th, the Sintiand Roma cultural festival will focus on themes and events surrounding art, history, and the present that affect the Roma. The festival invites visitors to experience and celebrate these cultures with concerts, exhibitions, films, training courses, and encounters. Most of the events are free of charge. The festival is organized by the City of Dortmund together with numerous partners, including AWO Dortmund, Romano Than e.V., and Keuning.haus.

Czech Republic Germany News Eastern Europe News Western Europe

Conference on Genocide Research

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Conference on Genocide Research

In mid-September, a 3 days Czech-German conference on the current challenges facing genocide research will be held in Lety. Entitled “The legacy of Romani and Sinti survivors across the generations”, the conference will bring together activists, the descendants of such survivors, historians, researchers, and representatives of public institutions to discuss current forms of commemorating this tragedy, the ethical challenges connected to researching the genocide of the Roma and Sinti, the intergenerational transmission of trauma, and memory policy.

Germany News Western Europe

Antigypsyism in Germany

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Antigypsyism in Germany

The German State of Thuringia has decided not to renew the position of an Antiziganism Commissioner in the state. Rational behind this decision, is that the “broad-based strategy” of “integration policy for all people” does not require a dedicated representative for Sinti and Roma.

Well, this decision is being criticised, with right.

Germany News Western Europe

Antigyspyism in Germany

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Antigyspyism in Germany

The Thuringian state government will not reappoint the position of antigypsyism commissioner. As a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice told MDR Thuringia, the state government views the integration of Sinti and Roma as a cross-departmental task. All ministries—including education, labor, health, and housing—are responsible for ensuring equal access.

This is not going to help …

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Roma Migrants

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Germany and Roma Migrants

A Berlin hotel housing Sinti and Roma has been a crime hotspot for years. Now, the spokesperson for the Berlin Police Union (GdP), Benjamin Jendro, has advocated for revoking Schengen travel rights for criminal EU foreigners. “We need to talk about perhaps not necessarily creating incentives for these people to come here,” Jendro told “Welt TV.” “We’re talking about criminal offenses. People are deliberately sent to steal. We’re talking about disturbances of the peace, physical assault, and threats.”

Bad.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany, Justice, and Prejudice

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Germany, Justice, and Prejudice

The Gera Regional Court will not open a trial against controversial administrative judge Bengt Fuchs. The public prosecutor’s office had accused him of incitement to hatred.

In August 2019, Fuchs allegedly wrote a comment under a Facebook post in a student fraternity group that was deemed incitement to hatred. Fuchs allegedly equated the Sinti and Roma ethnic groups with traveling gangs of thieves. In the group, the user “Bengt-Christian Fuchs” had described the group as “rotational Europeans with a weakness in property attribution.”

If this is not racist, what is?

Germany News Western Europe

Racism against Roma in Germany

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Racism against Roma in Germany

Antiziganism Reporting and Information Center in Germany (MIA), has documented the nature and scale of antiziganism in the country in its latest annual report.

The report recorded 1,678 antiziganism cases in 2024, ranging from verbal abuse to assaults — a significant increase on the 621 reported in its first edition, published for the year 2022.

Bad.

Germany News Western Europe

Research Position

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Research Position

The Department of History at Heidelberg University (Center for European History and Cultural Studies) is offering a research fellowship (“Romani Rose Fellowship”) at the Research Center on Antiziganism with an annual grant of EUR 20,000.00. The fellowship begins on January 1, 2026 (doctoral fellowship) or, depending on the researcher, between January 1 and May 1, 2026 (postdoctoral fellowship).

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Antigypsyism

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Germany and Antigypsyism

Michael Brand, a CDU politician, will become Commissioner Against Antigypsyism. Until very recently, it was feared that the new German government would abolish the office of Commissioner Against Antigypsyism. It seems that the deal is now done, and Brand will replace Mehmet Daimagueler.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Antigypsysm

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Germany and Antigypsysm

The German government is effectively abolishing the position of Commissioner for Combating Antigypsyism. The position will not be filled, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Family Affairs told taz. Mehmet Daimagüler, who held the position until a few weeks ago, told taz: “Abolishing the office would be a slap in the face for the Sinti and Roma in Germany.”

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