Category Archives: News Western Europe

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Appart form the many articles on Toni Gatlif about which we reported separatedly, the news in France are more of the usual. Politics in Nantes after the expulsion of a camps in the East of the city, and a large camp near Paris being closed, leaving, according to the press a large amount of garbage.

Greece News Western Europe

Thessaloniki Exhibition

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Thessaloniki Exhibition

ThePressProject and the Islahane Cultural Center in Thessaloniki will host a photography exhibition titled “The 12 Million We Ignore” from September 14-18, focusing on the lives and rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe.

The exhibition will feature photographs and testimonies collected over a year, highlighting issues such as forced sterilizations, segregation in schools, and institutional neglect faced by these communities.

The opening on September 15 will include discussions with Roma community members and a performance by a youth percussion band, aiming to raise awareness and promote equality.

Greece News Western Europe

Crete and Roma

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Crete and Roma

The Pan-Cretan Association of Greek Roma Citizens is seeking legal action following a leptospirosis incident involving an 11-year-old girl living in a Roma settlement in Heraklion.

The association’s president described the living conditions in the settlement as a serious public health issue, urging local authorities to take immediate action to improve sanitation and protect residents.

The municipality claims that cleaning crews work almost daily in the area, but face challenges due to improper waste disposal by residents, complicating sanitation efforts.

Germany News Western Europe

ERIAC and Racism

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ERIAC and Racism

In view of tomorrow’s elections in Saxony-Anhalt, were the AfD has a fair chance of ruling the region, ERIAC has a strong message on fascism and racism…

France News Western Europe

Homage to Toni Gatlif

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Homage to Toni Gatlif

Many articles on Toni Gatlif, a French director known for his films celebrating Roma culture, who passed away at 77 due to health issues while working on a film in France.

His notable works include ‘Latcho Drom’ and ‘Gadjo Dilo’, both of which received critical acclaim and awards.

Gatlif, born in Algeria, had a complex background and was recognized for his unique storytelling that highlighted themes of music, movement, and exile.

France News Western Europe

Toni Gatlif

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Toni Gatlif

Filmmaker Tony Gatlif, a champion of Roma culture with some twenty films to his credit – including Gadjo Dilo – died on Wednesday at the age of 77, his family announced to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, September 4. The director died in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône) from health problems while working on a historical film project.

Te avel i phuv lokhi!

Austria News Western Europe

Mariazell

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Mariazell

The Roma and Sinti have a long-standing tradition of pilgrimage to Mariazell, which was interrupted by the Nazis in 1938 but has been revived since 1996, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The pilgrimage serves as a cultural expression for the Roma community, featuring a bilingual mass in German and Burgenlandromani, promoting inclusion for both Roma and non-Roma participants.

Youth involvement is significant, with Roma children and teenagers contributing to the event, and this year’s theme focused on peace in light of current international events.

Greece News Western Europe

Greek Editorial …

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Greek Editorial …

In a reputed Greek newspaper, I Kathimerini, a Journalist, Takis Theodoropoulos went on rampage. He says tht the integration fo Roma in Greece has failed (there, he is not wrong), but makes statements such as”

“As is known, the Roma, unlike all other Greeks, are subsidized to send their children to school and most of them, when their parents receive the amount, disappear.”

He claims the generosity of the state is due to upcoming elections, and also speaks about criminality:

‘I am not just referring to uncontrolled delinquency, carrying weapons or stealing copper.”

All in all, appart from lamenting the lack of integration, he puts implicitly all the fault on Roma themselves.

A bit easy…

Η αποτυχημένη ένταξη των Ρομά. In: I Kathimerini. 28.07.2026. https://www.kathimerini.gr/opinion/564369919/i-apotychimeni-entaxi-ton-roma/

Germany News Western Europe

45 Years Ago

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45 Years Ago

On September 1, 1981, a group of Sinti gathered at the University of Tübingen to reclaim documents related to the Nazi persecution of their community, including photographs and records from the ‘Racial Hygiene Research Center’.

The term “Zigeuner” (Gypsy) is historically loaded and considered derogatory; the article uses “Z*” to avoid perpetuating this stigma while discussing the historical context of the genocide known as Porajmos.

The involvement of scientists in legitimizing the persecution of Sinti and Roma is highlighted, with calls for recognition and justice continuing to this day, as the community seeks to reclaim their narrative and history.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and AfD

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Germany and AfD

What do you expect from AfD: Simply, racist statements.

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma has filed a criminal complaint against Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the AfD party, accusing him of incitement and insult during a campaign event in Grimmen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Chrupalla allegedly suggested that weapons found in a forest near Berlin were likely lost by ‘Gypsies’ while mushroom picking, which was met with applause and laughter from the audience.

The council expressed shock that, 81 years after Auschwitz, a far-right party is using cynical rhetoric against Sinti and Roma, which they claim promotes fear and hatred towards minorities.

Chrupalla defended his comments, stating he did not intend to offend the Sinti and Roma communities, despite receiving applause for his remarks linking them to a recent weapons find in Berlin.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

The usual, unfortunately, this week in France. Fires in Roma slums in Nantes, one of which burnt several appartments; an eviction of a squatt in Marseilles; a huge dump is left after an eviction near Paris, as usual it is not said it is the Roma or simply opportunistic; and a Ceja Stoika exhibition…

Italy News Western Europe

Abduction

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Abduction

A newborn Roma girl was kidnapped from a children’s home in Caserta, Italy, where she had been living for over a month, marking the fifth abduction in her family.

The girl’s siblings were previously taken by their parents to Romania due to severe neglect and poor living conditions, leading to a court ruling that separated them from their parents.

The case is being handled by lawyer Simona Molisso, who is calling for public assistance in locating the missing girl, emphasizing the urgency and violence of the situation.

France News Western Europe

France and the Camps

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France and the Camps

During World War II, many Romani and other traveler groups faced severe discrimination in France, leading to their displacement and imprisonment in internment and extermination camps.

The article marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the last travelers from these internment camps in France.

Reporters Antonia Kerrigan and Valentine Erba interviewed a French survivor of the internment camps to share their experiences.

Austria News Western Europe

ReIMAGINE

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ReIMAGINE

EDUCULT, based in Vienna, is working on the ‘ReIMAGINE’ project to diversify European memory culture, focusing on the history and experiences of the Roma community.

The project involves collaboration with partners from five European countries and aims to create innovative educational tools, including a board game dedicated to Roma heroes.

‘ReIMAGINE’ will develop an interactive training toolkit for educators to present diverse historical perspectives and is supported by the EU’s Erasmus+ program until 2027.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

This last week news about Roma in France was dominated by the eviction of two camps of Roma near Nantes in Western France, and by a fire in a camp near the same city. Ngos and Roma protested against these closures arguing that they are working, their children are going to school. In the South of France, near Marseilles, the same pattern emerges. Near Paris, a mayor speaks about Roma…

Bad … Especially when one thinks that this involves less than 15’000 people who have been in France for over 20 years …

Germany News Western Europe

Romani Rose

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Romani Rose

Romani Rose, a prominent civil rights activist for the Sinti and Roma minority in Germany, has dedicated over 50 years to combating anti-Roma sentiment and advocating for recognition of their history and rights.

Key milestones in his activism include the acknowledgment of the Holocaust by Chancellor Helmut Schmidt in 1982 and the recognition of Sinti and Roma as a national minority in Germany through a European agreement ratified in 1998.

Rose emphasizes the importance of viewing the Sinti and Roma as integral to German society, advocating for a future-oriented perspective while remaining aware of ongoing challenges and anti-Roma violence.

Greece News Western Europe

Police Operation

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Police Operation

A police operation in the Roma settlements of Aspropyrgos led to the arrest of 16 individuals for electricity theft, with 2,380 meters of illegally used cables removed by the DEDDHE (Public Power Corporation).

The arrested individuals face charges for electricity theft and violations of the Road Traffic Code, including driving without a license and not wearing seatbelts.

The operation involved multiple police units and was coordinated by the Western Attica Police Directorate, with support from traffic police and a drone.

Germany News Western Europe

Invisible Minorities

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Invisible Minorities

The article discusses the concept of concealed identity, particularly among Roma and Jewish communities, highlighting the historical reasons for hiding one’s ethnic background due to discrimination and violence.

It explores the complexities of transgenerational concealed identity, where descendants inherit the burden of hidden heritage, often feeling alienated from both majority and minority groups.

The author reflects on personal experiences and the emotional resonance of identity, emphasizing the struggle between societal labels and personal resonance in defining one’s self.

Germany News Western Europe

Young Roma in Germany

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Young Roma in Germany

The documentary addresses the challenges faced by Sinti and Roma communities, highlighting deep-rooted prejudices and anti-Roma sentiment in society.

It features a film that follows four young Roma individuals who are challenging stereotypes and advocating for self-empowerment while navigating their cultural identity and societal challenges.

The young Roma generation is increasingly resisting discrimination in education, housing, and employment, striving for equal opportunities and societal recognition.

Greece News Western Europe

Clashes in Greece

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Clashes in Greece

Two police officers were slightly injured during a clash with a group of young individuals attempting to free an 18-year-old suspect outside the Police Station in Piniou, Greece.

The incident occurred on August 15, when the police were attacked by three young Roma individuals while escorting the detained suspect, who was wanted for fraud.

Targeted police operations in Roma settlements were conducted in Argolis, Corinthia, and Messinia, resulting in the arrest of 14 individuals for various offenses.

In Argolis, 21 individuals were checked, leading to 5 arrests, while in Corinthia and Messinia, 13 and 21 individuals were checked respectively, with 4 and 5 arrests made.

This is escalating …

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