Category Archives: News Western Europe

Interview with Paul Hagouel

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Dr. Paul Isaac Hagouel, president of the Roma Genocide Committee at the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) spoke to APE-MPE on the occasion of the Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day on August 2nd. Himself the son of an Auschwitz survivor, explained that “the oblivion of the Roma and Sinti Genocide perpetuated prejudices and stereotypes about the Roma which, in turn, fostered discrimination and unfounded and at the same time harmful hatred of the ‘other’ – Anti-Gypsyism”.

Thus, the IHRA, a transnational organization, constituted by a combination of experts and top diplomats from the member states, recommended the creation of the Commission on the Genocide of the Roma in 2007. This interdisciplinary IHRA Committee aims to raise awareness of prejudice against Roma and Sinti and highlight the link between the history of persecution and the current situation in Roma communities which, continue to experience the manifestations of stereotypes, prejudices and, quite often, (racial) hatred.

Spain and Ukraine

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An editorial by Juan de Dios Ramirez Heredia, a lawyer, former EU MP, and a Rom activist on the unbearable situation of Roma in the Ukraine. He states: “It is dramatic to know that the situation of the Roma people in Ukraine is unbearable and that the war has greatly increased their exclusion. Conditions in the settlements are unacceptable and Roma are being discriminated against during aid distribution in the context of war.”

Spain and Racism

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The little Catalan town of la Seu d’Urgell was the scene of racist incident between a group of local residents who wanted to dance a Sardana on a square and a group of Roma evangelical Christians. The municipality apparently had made an error and scheduled both events on the same square on the same day. The result was that Roma were insulted and confronted with racist shouts and were asked to leave.

The municipality excused itself and deplored the racist overtones of its residents.

French Chronicle …

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After a week without news on Roma in France, they are back in the news. An interview and overview of the travels of a French Gitan in Europe to preserve the memory of those who were killed during the Holocaust. A book and a movie will apparently follow. Other than that, a major fire started in Nantes, in Western France,  in the vicinity of a Roma camp. Apparently, several caravans were burnt, and the Roma were evacuated. Finally, a new camp in the South East will be closed, as it is situated in a forest that could easily burn.

Fact Check

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A video has been circulating on social media since July 31. It is shared with the claim: “150 extended Roma families from Ukraine are given apartments in Sömmerda, Thuringia and the shops have been informed not to call the police for every crime.”

Well, nothing is true here. The only truth is that this is racist propaganda.

Roma Literature

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Their literature is almost unknown: Only in 2019 for the first time were Sinti and Roma represented with their own stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair for the first time. A look at literary alternatives to a world of intolerance and ignorance. This give a nice overview of Roma literature.

Roma Holocaust Remembrance: Austria

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The Austrian President Van der Bellen commemorated the Roma Holocaust on August 2nd.

Roma Holocaust Remembrance: German Press

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Some extracts of the numerous articles in the German Press on the August 2nd commemorations and on the speech of Bodo Ramelow, the president of the German Parliament in Auschwitz.

Roma and Sinti in the German Democratic Republic

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After the war, around 600 Sinti lived in the GDR. While they continued to be discriminated against in the West even after the Holocaust, in the socialist state they should have had equal rights as citizens. But that was only partially true. In the GDR, little was known about this minority. Sinti from the GDR have only recently begun to speak publicly about their history.

Auschwitz and Roma

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In connection with the upcoming Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day (August 2), the ethnographer, historian and currently advisor to the Slovak Minister of Justice in the field of human rights, Zuzana Kumanová stated that about 22,000 European Roma passed through the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, and about 19,000 of them never returned.

As usual, this is factually right, but effectively wrong. There were 22’000 REGISTERED Roma in Auschwitz. But by the same token, “only” roughly 300 thousand Jews. People who were immediately killed were not registered.

French Chronicle …

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A movie about Roma in Romania, a camp on military land ordered to be closed; a closure of a camp near Paris; and a house that was squatted by Roma returned to its owner. Not much this week in France.

Dortmund: Festival

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Sinti and Roma belong to Dortmund – and the city will celebrate their culture from August 3 to 21, 2022 at Djelem Djelem. For the ninth time, the festival invites you to workshop, lectures and family celebrations.

Germany Commemorations

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Several cities in Germany are organising commemorations for the Holocaust Remembrance Day for Roma. For example Frankfurt, Augsburg, Darmstadt.

Germany and 2nd of August

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Germany Federal Council’s President Bodo Ramelow will be traveling to Poland on 2 August to mark the European Holocaust Remembrance Day for Roma. There he will take part in the international commemoration event at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and give a speech.

Spain: Pogroms

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Following the stabbing of a doorman by a Rom in the Spanish Andalusian town of Peal de Becerro, a mob went in rampage against local Roma who had to flee. Several houses were burned, damaged and or looted.
Bad.

Celebration

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Celebration

The Research Centre for Antigypsyism at Heidelberg University has celebrated its fifth anniversary. The chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Romani Rose, said at the ceremony that the research centre made it clear how important it is to also deal with the phenomenon of antigypsyism at a scientific level.

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