Category Archives: Russia

Russian Roma and Bitcoins …

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A tale of Roma selling some “real”, i.e. solid Bitcoins to credulous Russians in a small town near Moscow.
The photo by the way is almost certainly not from Russian Roma and definitively reflects the bias of the journalist and the editor … Not surprising from Sputnik.
– My Big Fat Bitcoin Scam: Russian Gypsies Cash In On Cryptocurrency Craze. In: Sputnik. 05.10.2017. https://sputniknews.com/russia/201710051057969156-obninsk-gypsies-selling-bitcoins/

Slovakia: End of the Festival

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The festival that took place in Zvolen, Banska Bistrica and in nearby towns is ending this week end. Yesterday, a gala concert with Roma musicians from various countries was held in Sliač with musicians from Russia, Hungary, Czech republic and Slovakia.

– Galaprogramom dnes vrcholí multižánrové podujatie Ľudia z rodu Rómov. In: Dobre Noviny. 19.08.2017. http://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/108437/galaprogramom-dnes-vrcholi-multizanrove-podujatie-ludia-z-rodu-romov

Holocaust and Skating

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Two articles on the Holocaust themed Skating performance that is actually an insult to the victims.
Tasteless.

– WHY THE HOLOCAUST-THEMED ICE-SKATING PERFORMANCE IS A DISGRACE. In: Newsweek. 02.12.2016. http://europe.newsweek.com/ice-skating-holocaust-performance-527661?rm=eu
– Russian Holocaust ice-skating routine slammed as ‘unbelievably tasteless’. In: CNN. 28.11.2016. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/27/europe/russian-ice-skating-holocaust-trnd/

Lev Tcherenkov (Cherenkov) 1936 – 2016

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CIMG0110 - Version 2

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Lev Tcherenkov (Cherenkov), a friend, a scholar, with whom we worked for the last 24 years recently passed away. Born on October 12th, 1936 originally from Lithuania, he passed away after a long illness on April 16th, 2016 in Moscow. He is survived by his wife and his son.

Smentno sam ame te phenas tumenge so xasijam amaro mal Lev Čerenkov. Jov mejas dre Moskva ando Aprilo. Te javel o drom angla leste puterdo!
Syr baganas phure Lotfitke Roma:

Bušulime sam amen ke amaro amal Lev Čerenkov mulas ande Moskva ando Aprilo. Te avel o drom angla leste puterdo! Sar gilabenas phure Lotfitke Rroma:

Ej mu dad, mi daj,
Xačkir jaga.
Me kana zaraz,
Zaraz merava.
Kedi me merava,
Šun so phenava,
Ke trudnes man po grobus
Na janen.
Bet ku mu grobus
Gren kheljakiren.
U vini pjen
Te šljanki phagiren.

O father, o mother,
Light fires.
Now, immediately.
Innediately, I’ll die.
When I’ll die,
Listen to what I say.
With sorrow, to my grave
Don’t bring me.
But on my grave
Let the horse dance
Drink wines
And break the glasses.

Lev worked all his life with and for Rroma. Himself a Rrom (Litovsko) he was one of the best specialists on Rromanes and published numerous articles and a few books. Besides all dialects of Rromanes, he also spoke most European languages and a few beyond. He initially studied at Moscow University and he lastly works as a senior researcher in the Russian Institute for the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage in Moscow, and was the institute’s specialist for Rroma and their culture. He was member of the board of the Rroma Foundation from 1992 until 2005, and continued to work for the Foundation until his death. He also had long lasting cooperation with Romano Centro in Austria and with Moses Heinschink especially, as well as with the Institute of Language Science of the University of Graz, especially with Prof. Dieter Halwachs.He was a pioneer in using the language, Rromanes, as a source of history and as a tool to trace the migration of the Rroma from India to Europe. His historical linguistic theories were vindicated by more recent means in several genetic studies telling the same story: Rroma have been in Europe for over a thousand years, are all from the very same migration, and have remained remarkably united in spite of having spread all over the continent.

We sincerely grieve the loss of a friend, a scholar, and a wonderful man.

Plekhanovo: Sickening Footage

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More news from the eviction of the village of Plekhanovo near Tula in Russia. This time, it is footage of an eviction where a young Rrom, in protest, smashes a kitten against a brick wall. This kind of protest doesn’t help the cause…

Tula Region Russia: Destruction of a Rroma Neighbourhood

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The story of the gas pipe illegally tapped by Rroma in the village of Plekhanovo in the Tula region continues. This had led to massive action by the riot police and now the city is forcing Rroma residents to destroy “illegal” houses.

Russia: Another Protest

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After the protests regarding the “illegal” gas connection in a Rroma neighbourhood near Tula, the issue seems to have restarted. This time because the houses were scheduled to be demolished because of these illegal connections to the gas network.

In good Russian fashion, there was interior police, riot troops etc…

To be followed.

Tula, again …

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The village in which the fights between police and Rroma occurred last week in the Tula region of Russia are still cordoned and checked by the police… Beoing on the “wrong” side in Russia is not the best thing.

Russia: Riot between Police and Rroma

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Rroma in central Russia fought a battle against riot police. The Rroma are accused of having damaged a gas pipe in an attempt to connect their houses to the gas network, and then to have attacked the repairmen called as several other houses were left without gas.

This is new in Russia – and BAD…

Austria, the Anschluss, and the Nazis

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A chilling review of the annexation of Austria with the support of the overwhelming part of the population, and the history of Austria under the Nazis. Besides the Austrian soldier deaths (ca. 270’000) in Eastern Europe and Russia, Austrian minorities got decimated: From around 190’000 Austrian Jews, 65’459 were killed in the Holocaust, while from the roughly 11’000 Rroma (Burgenland and Sinti), at least 7’000 perished. These latter numbers are to be taken with caution, as no one really knew how many Rroma there were, and the German did not keep tabs on field executions or gas chambers.

Prague: A Rrom is a member of the Prague Minority Committee

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As more than 5% of the Prague population is officially a member of one of the recognised minorities, the city is mandated by law to establish a minority council. Besides Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Jews and Rroma are also represented.

23.04.2014 Rudolf Sarközi urges European commissioner for the Rroma

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On the occasion of the forthcoming European elections, Rudolf Sarközi, chairman of the Austrian National Minority Advisory Council of the Roma, calls for a separate ethnic groups commissioner for Rroma and other minorities in the European Union. This commissioner should urge the EU member states to respect the rights of minorities and prescribe sanctions if needed: “For Sarközi it is “high time” that a male or female commissioner for minorities with a focus on ethnic groups, Roma and Sinti, as well as refugees that escape from worldwide crisis areas to Europe, is put in place. […] Thereby, a “permanent, political and societal solution for Roma and Sinti in Europe” could be found, he said in a statement” (Vienna online 2014). In an extensive interview with mokant.at, Sarközi explains his views on the current situation of the Rroma in Austria. He states a clear decline in discrimination since the official recognition of the Rroma minority and the attack of Oberwart in 1995. The tragedy caused a caesura in the Austrian society and created an awareness of the discrimination against the minority. As far as the culture of the Rroma concerns, Sarközi denies uniform characteristics that all Rroma share: “Is there a separate, unified culture of the Roma? This does not exist. Not even among the Austrian Roma people. Why? We live in different nation-states. Most Sinti belong to Germany and were influenced by this culture. We have adopted the culture, which is predominantly present in the country or the region. To select the German example: In Berlin, the Sinti or Rrom will be as Prussian as the Prussian, and in Bavaria as Bavarian as the Bavarians!” (Winterfeld 2014). One has to contradict him in one point, however. He denies that there are overarching traditions. These exist, even if the various groups practice them differently. The most Rroma speak Rromanes, going back to Sanskrit, they share many traditions. The statement that the Rroma belong to different religions, Sarközi is absolutely right. He moreover stresses how important it is that the majority population makes offers of integration, to the Rroma as well as other minorities. For without such a willingness to accept other people in a society, a positive integration – and not an assimilation – is very difficult to achieve. Sarközi also emphasizes the importance of education for a successful integration of the Rroma. After all, education increases self-confidence and social recognition.

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