The anniversary commemorations, which took place by the monumnet commemorating the extermination of the Roma and Sinti at the section BIIe site of the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp, were attended by ca. 1,000 people, including Roma Survivors, as well as Auschwitz and Holocaust survivors, representatives of state authorities, international organisations, ambassadors and diplomats, politicians, representatives of several Roma, Sinti and Jewish organisations and communities, representatives of local authorities, institutions and museums.
Among the guests in attendance were, the Speaker of the Polish Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland Hanna Wróblewska, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Theodoros Rousopoulos, the President of the German Parliament Bärbel Bas, the Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Žygimantas Pavilionis, the Director of Yad Vashem Dani Dayan and the President of the IHRA during the British Presidency Lord Eric Pickles.
At the commemorative ceremony, two Survivors delivered speeches.
Alma Klasing lost several members of her family in Auschwitz. She survived by hiding in the forests of Baden-Württemberg.
‘During the day we would lay low in pits and cover ourselves with leaves. At night we would move and look for another shelter. We had to do all this as quietly as possible, always in fear of being discovered and deported to extermination and concentration camps. We could only feed on berries and other edible plants,’ she said.
‘We were very fortunate that all our close relatives survived the camps, but unfortunately we also had to mourn the many victims of Nazi racial policies among our relatives and friends,’ she added.
‘I would like to warn young people in particular against these false prophets and ask you from the bottom of my heart: defend our democracy and protect us, minorities from antisemitism, antigypsyism and racism,’ Anna Klasing stressed.
Bolesław Rumanowski, along with his family, was deported to the Kielce ghetto by the Germans when he was just a child. In the final period of the war, Boleslaw Rumanowski and his family managed to escape from the ghetto and hid in the nearby forests, thus ensuring their survival until the end of the war.
‘Despite the constant presence of death and immense suffering, we managed to survive. Every day was a struggle for survival and every night was full of fear and uncertainty. During the war's last phase, we successfully fled the ghetto and sought refuge in the nearby woods. We survived, thanks to the help of people of goodwill and an indomitable will to live. My story and that of my family is full of perseverance and fortitude in the face of unimaginable difficulties. It is also the story of all Roma who survived, even though many of us lost our lives in camps and ghettos,’ he said.
‘I want to emphasise to the young Roma population the importance of remembering their tragic history while embracing the future with confidence, faith, and optimism. The fight against stereotypes, prejudices, and exclusion can only be won through individual commitment and self-development. Study, acquire knowledge, attain the highest possible positions and functions, and show by your example that you can be fully-fledged citizens of your countries,’ stressed Rumanowski.
Romani Rose, President of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, highlighted the fact that nearly every "Sinti and Roma family associates the name 'Auschwitz' with the tragic loss of their relatives."
‘Remembering the genocide does not involve transferring blame on today's generations but instead accepting co-responsibility for democracy and the rule of law,’ he said
‘The millions of victims of Nazi atrocities have left behind a legacy that mandates the international community to oppose any criminal ideology from its inception,’ emphasised Romani Rose.
Roman Kwiatkowski, the President of the Roma Association in Poland, said that remembrance and education are vital to building a world where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of origin.
‘To this end, I am pleased to announce that the Centre for Roma History and Culture in Oświęcim has been officially established and operational since 1 February 2024. This was possible through a resolution passed by the Małopolska (Lesser Poland) Regional Council on 28 December 2023. The centre is not only
a place of education and commemoration but also a platform for dialogue and cooperation to sustain Roma cultural identity,’ he pointed out.
SINTI AND ROMA GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY. 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIQUIDATION OF THE ROMA CAMP AT AUSCHWITZ
Paweł Sawicki
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80 years ago, some 4,300 children, women, and men - the last Roma and Sinti prisoners in section BIIe - were murdered in the gas chambers of the German Nazi Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp. The so-called Zigeunerfamilienlager ("Gypsy family camp") was liquidated on the night of 2 - 3 August 1944. 2 August is commemorated as Sinti and Roma Genocide Remembrance Day.