An overview of the history of Roma in Switzerland, a history dating back to the 15th century with the arrival of the first Roma in the Rhine valley.

Download the full report (in German) here.

Introduction

There is currently a discussion inM Switzerland about whether Rroma have a connection to Switzerland or not. Yeniche, who are native anyway, as well as Sinti, who are considered “native”, are contrasted by the authorities with the supposedly “foreign” Rroma. The latter are asked to provide proof of their connection to Switzerland. Rroma are de-facto often assigned to a migration phase that happened only recently, which is said to have taken place only after the Second World War, but above all after the wars in ex-Yugoslavia.
This argument is based on a completely wrong idea. On the one hand, on the fact that Sinti are not Rroma, on the other hand that until recently there were no “foreign gypsies”, i.e. Rroma, in “perfect” Switzerland. Both ideas are easily refuted by facts. There are enough historical sources to prove that there have always been Rroma in Switzerland. It is true that one can argue whether these also referred to Sinti, as this designation only came about in the 19th century. But there are also plenty of other examples of Rroma from the Balkans, Wallachia or Transylvania who lived in Switzerland in the 19th century.
The fact that the recognition of the Sinti as a local minority de facto includes the recognition of the Rroma can also be easily explained on the basis of the historical and political development of the concept of “Rroma and Sinti”. The separation of the two concepts is based partly on incorrectly used political correctness (taking over the self-designation of the Sinti), partly on differentiation from other Rroma, who are generally considered “foreigners”.