Category Archives: News Western Europe

Germany News Western Europe

20 September 1407

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This date is considered to be the first written account of the arrival of Roma in German lands. However, here are some accounts from Alsace and Switzerland somewhat earlier. It is also incorrect to use the plural of “Volk” in this context. That they always continue to show Roma as travellers is also annoying.

Germany News Western Europe

On German Trains

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The Deutsche Reichsbahn took an active part in the crimes of the National Socialists in the “Third Reich”. Around three million people were deported to ghettos, concentration and extermination camps on their trains. Without the logistics and resources of the Reichsbahn, the Holocaust would not have been possible. How does Deutsche Bahn deal with the historical heritage today?

Germany News Western Europe

Johann Rukeli Trollmann

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The story of the German boxing champion Johann Rukeli Trollmann, who as a Sinto was then deported to a concentration camp, and eventually killed.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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Not much this week in France regarding Roma. A manifestation in Strasbourg for the people living in a camp there, and a justice story where a father who “bought” two minor girls in former Yugoslavia was condemned. This latter story adds fuel to the stereotype that Roma buy their women and sell their daughters, something that only Vlach Roma do as a result of the slavery in Romanian lands.

News Western Europe Spain

Biennale of Flamenco in Sevilla

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A few articles of the first week of the Bienal de Flamenco in Sevilla. With Eva Yerbabuena, Olga Pericet, Vincente Amigo, Davide Lagos, and a very critical review of Patricia Guerrero’s spectacle.

Italy News Western Europe

Italy, the Far Right, and Roma

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The video of a far-right candidate in  the upcoming elections in Florence highlights their attitude towards Roma and the dangers that Roma will face when they come to power.

In the video, Alessio Di Giulio shows a Romni and tells to vote for him so as to never see her again. This is bad but not surprising unfortunately.

News Western Europe Spain

Spain: Campaign

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The Fundación Secretariado Gitano has launched a campaign on social networks to encourage young Roma to participate in the training and employment program ‘Acceder’, which, in the last 20 years, has managed to help 33,000 people find a job.

Italy News Western Europe

Italy: Raid

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A police raid in a Roma camp in Rome shows how Italy is choosing to deal with them: blanket controls, on the assumption that they are all criminals. This time, the results were meagre, one person under expulsion order and one car without insurance… This after controlling 352 people and 88 cars.

Germany News Western Europe

Romno Power

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The RomnoPower culture week 2022 starts on September 17th. Every year, the Association of German Sinti and Roma, of the Baden-Württemberg State, presents the diverse contribution of Sinti and Roma to European culture in close proximity to the anniversary of the first documentary mention of Sinti and Roma on German territory on September 20, 1407. For the opening ceremony of the RomnoPower culture week 2022 on September 17th, the internationally renowned street dancer Mr. Quick (David Kwiek) and his crew of kids and teens will perform a dance theatre performance that they will develop and produce as part of the VDSR-BW summer camp to have.

Italy News Western Europe

Italy, the Far-Right, and Roma

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A candidate from the Lega in Florence, Alessio di Giulio, produced a video showing a Romni and saying, “vote for me to never see her again”.

There have been numerous reactions, but let’s not forget that a large part of the population unfortunately probably agrees with him. That is scary. In any case, it shows the inherent racism of the Italian far-right.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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A collective of mothers is suing mayors in France for refusing to register Roma children to school, this in spite of the fact that they are legally obliged to do so. This is good, as this refusal of registration effectively amounts to racism. Another article highlights the need of school material for children, something out of reach for many poor children, and not only Roma. No week in France without a criminal case involving Roma in the press, and as usual, the undertones that all Roma are criminal.

An article on an exhibition of an Italian photographer on the ghetto of Stolipinovo in Bulgaria highlights a journalist ignorance. He thinks that Turkish speaker in Stolipinovo are Turcs. They are not, simply Roma who nowadays only speak old Turkish. Finally, an article on the Biennale in Venice with a long mention of Malgorzata Mirga-Tas.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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An exhibition of an Italian photographer in Perpignan on a reportage of the Stolipinovo Mahala (Roma quarter) in Plovidiv. One this is sure, there are no Gitans there … The French seem totally impervious in understanding what Roma, Gitans, Manouches, Sinti actually means. By the way also, Stolipinovo is not the largest Roma settlement. That is most probably the Šutka near Skopje.

Other news are the usual ones: A camp closure in Nice; protests against illegal buildings near Montpellier; racism near Bordeaux; and a mess left over after a closure near Paris.

News Western Europe United Kingdom

UK Trespass Law

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Lawyers are launching a high court challenge against the anti-trespass law that gives the police additional power to tackle “unauthorised encampments”.

The law has been criticised by many but was pushed through by the Johnston Conservative government and its controversial interior minister Priti Patel.

Italy News Western Europe

Football Racists

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As usual, another racist even in Football. This time, AC Roma has been fined €15,000 for offensive chants by tis supporter against Dusan Vlahovic. The Roma fans were chanting: “Vlahovic, you are a gypsy.”

Germany News Western Europe

Frankfurt: Movie and Discussion

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The Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) and the German Institute for Human Rights (DIMR) invite to a film screening and discussion about the fight for civil rights on September 5, 8 p.m., in the German Film Institute & Film Museum in Frankfurt am Main a.

Racist discrimination has always been part of the everyday experience of the Sinti and Roma in Germany. Discrimination manifests itself in different facets: from unlawful special registrations by the police to disadvantages on the housing market to verbal hostility and physical assaults.

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Roma and Energy Prices

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Roma and Travellers in the UK fear being left out on the help on energy prices. There are thousands of people in park home in the UK for whom the increased energy prices will prove to be dramatic.

News Western Europe Portugal

Portugal, Football, and Roma

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Ricardo Quaresma, a Portuguese Rom and a star footballer is strongly engaged in helping the Roma community in Portugal. His fame certainly helps, but as they say right now in Portugal, can one man end 500 years of racism and discrimination. Not an easy task.

Racism against the Roma community is firmly anchored in Portugal, and it is enough that one Rom steals to brand all Roma as thieves, something that alas, is not only the case in that country.

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