Tag Archives: Holocaust

Edward Dębicki

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Edward Dębicki

Edward Dębicki, a renowned Polsko Rom musician and Holocaust survivor is at the centre of a controversy in Gorzów Wiełkopolski. This is not his hometown, as he comes from former Eastern Poland, and was resettled when Poland was shifted 300 km westward.

The controversy was whether he could be granted a municipal apartment at a significant discount. Ultimately, the resolution was rejected. The vast majority of councillors voted against it.

So much for survivors …

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

News in France are dominated with the relocation of Roma in one neighbourhood of Nantes. Locals are fighting against this, and Roma who are being expelled of one camp went to court, claiming that the expulsions are illegal. In brief, chaos.

Other than that, an article about the forgotten (in France) genocide of the Roma.

Czechia: Commemoration

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Czechia: Commemoration

Yesterday, a commemoration for the Romane victims of the Genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust was held at the Hodonín u Kunštátu Memorial.

A Massacre

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A Massacre

According to the article, early in the morning on Sunday, July 19, 1942, partisans from the Bela Kranjska Detachment surrounded the Roma settlement of Kanižarica pri Črnomelj. They woke up the still sleeping residents and ordered them to gather on the road, while at the same time they began to burn down their homes. Only a few managed to escape, and all the rest were driven past Dragovanje vas towards Doblička Gora and Mavrlen on a rainy Sunday morning.

Two days later, all these prisoners, including women and children, including babies, were killed in the forest near Mavrlen. According to an Italian report, 61 Roma were taken away at that time, but some reports believe that there were many more.

Czechia: Remembrance

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Czechia: Remembrance

On August 2, artists symbolically named one of the nameless streets in Česká Bříza “Serinkova”. It was named after the Romano partisan Josef Serinek. The artists are reacting to the decision of the Liberec city council, which refused to officially rename part of Kunratická Street.

An Omission?

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An Omission?

During the August 2nd commemoration of the genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust in Auschwitz, Romani Rose, chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma gave a speech in German in which he not only spoke about the genocide of the Roma but also of human right violations, and he specifically mentioned children starving in Gaza.

The issue: the Gaza mention was not translated in English, Polish, or Czech according to the people we spoke to right after the ceremony in Auschwitz.

Croatia and World War Two

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Croatia and World War Two

On the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of Roma Victims of Genocide in World War II – Samudaripen, at the Roma Memorial A commemoration was held at the Uštica centre, where the representative of the Roma national minority, Veljko Kajtazi, condemned every attempt at historical revisionism.

“When we increasingly see attempts at historical revisionism and hiding the truth, we are obliged to send a strong message from this place – a message that the victory over fascism was not in vain,” Kajtazi emphasized, adding that silence in the face of revisionism becomes complicity.

Edward Dȩbicki

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Edward Dȩbicki

An article about Edward Dȩbicki, a 90 year old Polska Roma who spoke at this year’s commemoration on August 2nd in Auschwitz. Dębicki, is not only a musician and composer but also a writer. He wrote the book “Birds of the Dead” about that time over two decades ago, which recounts the tragedy of Roma families during the war.

“When the Roma camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was being liquidated in 1944, I was nine years old. We hid in the forests, lived in dugouts in constant fear, and saw death at every turn. I survived because fate had it so. But I carry within me the memory of all those who were not so fortunate,” says Edward Dębicki.

Slovenia: Commemorations

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Slovenia: Commemorations

Several articles in Slovenia about the August 2nd commemoration of the genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust. With an interesting one as to whether use “porajmos” (don’t) or “Samudaripen” (better) top denote it.

Czechia: Commemorations

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Czechia: Commemorations

Several articles in the Czech press on the August 2nd commemoration of the genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust.

Martin Korčok

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Martin Korčok

On the occasion of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, which the world commemorates on August 2, the Director of the Holocaust Museum in Sereď – Martin Korčok, received the honorary recognition “Friend of the Roma”. The award was presented to him by Csaba Horváth from the Opre Roma Slovensko civic association, which since 2022 has been granting this symbolic recognition to people who, although not from the Roma community, actively contribute to the fight against prejudice and discrimination.

Slovakia and Commemoration

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Slovakia and Commemoration

Many articles about the August 2nd commemoration of the genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

A first in the French press, and a welcomed one. For the first time since we actually do these press reviews, the French press not only speaks about the Genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust, but also for the French involvement, and that it happened there too.

The rest of the news, unfortunately, is more of the usual: Families facing expulsion in Nantes; the closure of a camp near Toulouse, but for a change, people finding new lodgings; some travelers camping near Toulouse; and the death of a young Roma boy who was killed by a passing car while crossing the road.

Près d’Annemasse : il s’arrête pour une pause pipi, traverse la route et se fait mortellement percuter. In: M Annecy. 01.08.2025. https://mannecy.fr/news/locales/105106/pres-d-annemasse-il-s-arrete-pour-une-pause-pipi-traverse-la-route-et-se-fait-mortellement-percuter

IHRA: Michaela Küchler

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IHRA: Michaela Küchler

The secretary general of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on the Genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust and the need to remember.

Council of Europe: Statement

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Council of Europe: Statement

For the August 2nd commemoration of the Genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the CoE issued a statement.

Poland: Commemoration

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Poland: Commemoration

Commemoration of the genocide of the Roma during the Holocaust have been held throughout Poland on August 2nd. The main one was held on the site of the former Roma camp in the KZ Auschwitz Birkenau in the presence of many European politicians, Romani Rose, chairman of the German Council of Sinti and Roma, as well as many survivors.

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