heritage of Auschwitz victims is reflected. I refer here not only to Russian invasive war, but often also to inhuman living conditions of Ukrainian Roma, with the number of their population estimated at 400 thousand”, Rose referred to current events.
Bodo Ramelow, President of the German Bundesrat, took the floor during the commemorative events as well: “We are here today to look this horror straight into the eyes and thus make it visible. We are here in order to pay homage to the victims and mourn them together. And we are also here, together with Survivors and younger members of their families, to honor their memory.
He emphasized that the Germans commemorate this memorial day together with the Roma: “The obligation of our societies is to recognize the victims, to tell Survivors and their descendants that something like this shall never repeat […]. Germany and other countries in which you live need you. You are an important part of our social and cultural life. You belong to us. Please, be visible”, Bodo Ramelow said.
During his speech Director of the Auschwitz Museum, Piotr Cywiński, Ph.D., referred to historical space in which commemorative events are taking place: “A while ago we were following this path, walking on uneven grass. Here, starving children used to play next to their starving mothers. 78 years ago the last of them were murdered. Why? Because of a crazy paradigm of racial purity. Today, these words resounded in Europe once again”, Cywiński said.
"A year ago we could be wondering whether history really is a teacher of life. Today such divagations are no longer possible. In face of Russia’s attack on Ukraine we all know that the points of reference remain in history. And that we need to be listening to them carefully not tomorrow, but today. Before we hear the words referring to racial purity again. Before once again, starving children play next to their starving mothers”, Museum Director warned.
The Nazi considered the Roma a "hostile element”, “genetically” prone to committing crimes and to asocial behaviors. Since 1933 they became, together with Jews, the aim of racists persecutions; first through their registration, depravation of the right to perform certain professions, to mixed marriage, then by being directed to forced labor and finally, incarcerated at concentration camps.
After the outbreak of WW2 the decision was made to resettle German Roma to occupied Poland. German police authorities began to arrest and perform the executions of the Roma within occupied territories, including also the rear of the eastern front, where they were, together with Jews, subject to mass murders by so called Einsatzkommandos.
Upon Heinrich Himmler’s order on transporting them to Auschwitz, since 1943, Sinti and Roma mainly from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland were deported to the camp. The Germans deported to Auschwitz in total about 23 thousand Roma, with two thousand murdered without being entered into camp register. 21 thousand people were registered in the camp and 19 thousand of them perished – starved to death, due to illnesses or they were murdered in the gas chamber during the liquidation of the “Gypsy camp”.
In Block 13 within the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, exhibition commemorating the extermination of Roma and Sinti is presented, showing the specific character of genocide perpetrated on the Roma in Nazi-occupied Europe. In former Birkenau camp, within the BIIe section, the monument commemorating Roma victims is situated.
The history of Roma victims of the camp is presented in the online lesson "The Roma in Auschwitz”, one of the episodes of the podcast “About Auschwitz”, as well as 7th volume from the educational series "Voices of Memory”. The websites of Google Cultural Institute also includes the exhibition “Roma in Auschwitz” prepared by the Museum.