From Oblivion To Awareness
Youth And The Roma Holocaust
Standing Up Against Hate Building A Better Future
Have you ever wondered why we should remember history? Sometimes, the past can feel far away, but the lessons it holds are still super important today! The project From Oblivion to Awareness – Youth and the Roma Holocaust is all about learning from the past so we can make the future brighter for everyone.
This project focuses on something really important: the Roma and Sinti people, who were victims of terrible prejudice and violence during the Holocaust. Sadly, many people still face hate and discrimination because of their ethnicity today. But together, we can change that!
Why You Matter
You’re the future! By getting involved, you’re stepping up to preserve history and swipe left on hate. We want you informed, engaged, and ready to make the world a better place.
What’s Our Goal?
We’re bringing young people from several different countries and communities together. Why? To build friendships and understand why remembering history is super important!
Team Power!
With three awesome non-governmental organizations on board, we’re amplifying our efforts to shine a light on a part of history that’s often missed. Let’s stand up for human rights and make a real difference!
Why We’re Doing This:
“From Oblivion to Awareness” is all about remembering the Roma and Sinti’s past during World War II. By learning from history, we make sure these stories are never forgotten.
What Do We Do?
We’ve got cool activities like youth meet-ups, workshops and exhibitions Together, we’ll create a bridge between generations and commemorate history in a meaningful way.
Understanding The Roma Genocide
The Roma Genocide also known as the forgotten genocide, was a tragic period during World War II when the Nazis, along with their allies, targeted Roma and Sinti people. This meant they intended to eliminate these communities, similar to what happened with the Jewish population in the Holocaust. The underlying reason for this was a baseless and cruel belief that some races were superior to others. This prejudice drove them to commit terrible acts against the Roma and Sinti simply because of their ethnic background.
Key Facts
Victims:
Historians estimate that between 220,000 and 500,000 Roma and Sinti people were killed during the Holocaust. This accounted for over 25% of the pre-war Roma population in Europe.
Persecution:
Roma communities were subjected to forced labor, deportation, and mass executions. They were also detained in concentration camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Important Dates To Remember: May
16, 1944
Known as the “Roma Resistance Day” at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The imprisoned Roma resisted the SS attempts to liquidate the Gypsy Family Camp, standing bravely in the face of imminent death.
August 2, 1944
This is commemorated as the “Roma Holocaust Memorial Day”. On this day, nearly 3,000 Roma men, women, and children were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Oblivion: Why “From Oblivion To Awareness”?
After the war, the Roma were often seen as “outsiders” or “less important” in the eyes of the public, and their suffering didn’t receive the same attention. It wasn’t until much later that their experiences started to be recognized in history books, and even today, many people don’t know about the Porajmos. This is why projects like From Oblivion to Awareness are so important – we need to make sure these stories are never forgotten.
Let’s Chat About Important Terms!
Before we can stand up for remembrance and fight against discrimination, it’s important to understand some key terms that help us talk about injustice and create a fairer world.
Human Rights
Think of human rights as the “superpowers” everyone is born with! These are the basic rights and freedoms that all people have, no matter where they’re from, their beliefs, or how they live. From the moment you’re born until you grow old, these rights are yours forever!
These rights focus on important values like fairness, respect, and dignity. They’re not just ideas; they’re protected by laws that everyone should follow. Sometimes, they might be limited, like when someone breaks the law, but no one can just take them away without a reason that stands up to the law.
Discrimination
Discrimination is like playing a game where some players aren’t given a fair chance. It happens when people are treated unfairly or differently because of traits like their race, gender, age, or what they believe in.
It sneaks into places like schools, jobs, and even laws, giving some people advantages over others and creating inequality.
Often, discrimination comes from assumptions and stereotypes about individuals or groups. It’s important to recognize it and stand against it to make society a fairer place for everyone!
Antigypsyism
Antigypsyism is when people show hate, unfair treatment, or racism toward Roma, Sinti, Travellers, and others often called “gypsies”. This type of discrimination strips away the right for Roma to proudly identify as who they are. It’s more than just words; it’s about actions, what people do or don’t do, and how society views and treats Roma communities.
The Holocaust
Imagine a world where people were hurt and killed just because of who they were. This tragic reality was the Holocaust — a terrible event during World War II where the Nazi government and their allies targeted and murdered six million Jewish and Roma people. The word “Holocaust” comes from Greek and means “sacrifice by fire”, showing how cruel and destructive this time was.
What Is Genocide?
Genocide is when a group of people is targeted and attacked because of their ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality, with the goal of completely or partly wiping them out. This can mean hurting people, making them suffer, stopping them from having families, or even taking children away to make them part of another group. Genocide is one of the most serious crimes against humanity because it aims to destroy whole communities and cultures.
The Roma & Sinti Genocide
Have you heard of the Porajmos? This was the genocide that targeted the Roma and Sinti people during World War II. Also known as Pharrajimos (meaning “Cutting up” or “Destruction”), Samudaripen (“Mass killing”), or Kali Trass (“Black fear”), this was a horrific attempt by Nazi Germany and its allies to eliminate these communities across Europe. Like the Holocaust, it was a plan to silence and erase a whole group of people simply for who they were. The Roma and Sinti genocide is a story of loss but also one of survival and remembrance.
Remembrance
In this context, remembrance is about honoring and keeping the memories of those who suffered during the Roma Genocide alive, ensuring the world never forgets these tragic events to prevent them from happening again. The sunflower has become a new symbol of this remembrance, representing hope and resilience. Just as sunflowers turn toward the light and stand strong, this symbol encourages us to remember the past while looking forward to a future where everyone is respected and protected.
Why Remembrance Matters & Ways To Remember
Remembering the Roma Genocide is crucial for several reasons:
Education:
Ensures that the horrors of the past are understood and never repeated.
Acknowledgment:
Honors those who suffered and perished, giving survivors and descendants a voice and recognition long denied.
Healing:
The act of remembrance helps communities heal and fosters resilience through shared historical understanding.
How We Can Remember
Monuments & Memorials:
Visit sites and memorials dedicated to the victims. These provide a space for reflection and honor.
Educational Programs:
Attend or organize workshops and lectures about the Roma Genocide to spread awareness.
Cultural Events:
Engage in activities celebrating Roma culture and resilience, further combating stereotypes and prejudice.
Digital Campaigns:
In today’s digital age, raising awareness on social media platforms via campaigns and educational posts can reach a wide audience globally.
Art & Literature:
Encourage the creation and consumption of art, films, and books that tell the stories of Roma victims and survivors.
By actively remembering, we honor those lost and bolster the fight against ongoing discrimination and injustice. On the following pages take a look on how we remembered this part of history.
Remembering In Different Ways
Throughout this project, we found many creative ways to remember the Roma Genocide and honor its victims. From meeting young people from different places to exploring history through art and digital tools, each activity helped raise awareness and inspired change. Here’s a glimpse of the diverse ways we came together to learn, reflect, and share the importance of remembrance.
Youth Encounters (Germany & Serbia)
Two exciting youth encounters were held to explore the Roma Genocide and the power of remembrance. In Berlin, young people learned about the past through visits to Holocaust memorials and museums, sharing what they learned through art workshops. In Belgrade, the second encounter brought together creative minds for workshops and a historical tour, where participants discovered the struggles of the Roma community, including the tragic history of the Topovske Supe camp. Both encounters encouraged young people to connect with history, express emotions, and create lasting memories.
Commemoration
(2nd August & 16th May)
We honored the victims of the Roma Genocide in two powerful commemorative events. In Berlin, on May 16th (Day of Roma Resistance), we gathered at the Roma and Sinti Memorial, laid flowers, read poems, and held a minute of silence to remember those lost. On August 2nd, the first-ever youth commemoration took place at the Topovske Supe camp in Serbia. Young people organized the event, prepared speeches, invited policymakers and other youth, and laid sunflowers to honor the victims on the Day of Roma Genocide Remembrance. These moments of reflection were filled with respect, unity, and the promise to never forget.
Local Activities
The youth involved in the project were eager to share what they had learned and make an impact in their own communities by organizing local activities that spread awareness and inspired action.
N Macedonia
In North Macedonia, young people raised awareness by handing out flyers in Skopje, hosting an online workshop, and organizing a school workshop to educate peers about Roma history and the Roma genocide.
Serbia
They organized campaigns and workshops to spread awareness about Roma history, culture, and the Roma genocide. From online workshops discussing the suffering of Roma in Serbia to public classes at monuments, the youth engaged passers-by, shared knowledge, and sparked discussions about important historical events.
Germany
In Germany, school workshops explored prejudice and discrimination, while a public webinar connected the Roma genocide to the present day, focusing on remembrance and reclaiming Roma identity through art. Through these activities, the youth made sure that their knowledge reached beyond their international encounters, leaving a lasting impact on their local communities.
Exhibition
The exhibition “The Roma Genocide through the Lenses of Young People” was co-created by the youth involved in the project. It toured several cities in North Macedonia and Belgrade, Serbia, highlighting the history of the Roma genocide through compelling visuals and narratives.
Divided into three parts, it explores the origins of Roma persecution, Nazi atrocities, and the post-war struggles of the Roma community.
The aim of the exhibition was to raise awareness of the Roma genocide on a broader level, inviting educational institutions, youth, and local government representatives to engage with this important history and contribute to a wider understanding and remembrance.
Digital Campaign
The youngsters themselves took the lead in creating a digital campaign, establishing an online platform on Instagram called roma_memory_archive. This platform serves as a digital vault for information about the Roma genocide, remembrance, and Roma history in general. The team created and shared digital posters, offering a space to reshare important events, calls for action, and opportunities for young people to get involved in similar initiatives.
In addition to the platform, the youngsters also created podcasts where they engaged in conversations with experts as well as other young people, discussing topics related to the Roma genocide, remembrance, and Roma history.
Follow us on roma_memory_archive to discover more about this platform!
Artworks
The youngsters used art and poetry as powerful tools for remembrance, creating meaningful pieces to honor the victims of the Roma genocide and raise awareness about this vital history.
Poem By Jonas
In the Shadows of the past, where whispers slowly fade Lies a tale of sorrow of lives so cruelly betrayed
In the heart of Serbia under skies so dark and wide A people faced their nightmare, with nowhere left to hide
Remember the fallen, the silence they endured In memory’s garden their Spirits are assured For the Roma who were taken, we lift our voices high With tears and remembrance beneath the same blue sky
Let us tell their story, let the truth be our guide
In the light of justice, no darkness can abide
Together we stand with love as our creed to honor those lost in word and in deed
In the heart of Serbia, a promise we renew
To guard against the darkness, as one we seek the true For the Roma who were taken, we sing this solemn song And in hope that through our memory, their legacy lives on.
Poem By Julija
In the shadows of despair, a soul did flee, From the darkness of the camp, yearning to be free. Through barbed wire and fear, a spirit took flight, Seeking hope and solace in the cover of the night. The heart that once trembled now beats with resolve, A survivor’s tale of courage, how they did evolve.
In the echoes of silence, their story is told, Of resilience and strength, more precious than gold. In the face of adversity, they found a way, To rise above the horror, to greet a new day. Their journey a testament to the power of will, A beacon of light, shining bright and still.
So let us remember, with reverence and grace, The one who escaped, found freedom in that place. Their spirit lives on, a symbol of might, A testament to the human spirit’s unyielding fight.
Artworks
Tamara Samojlovska
Anja Arsovska
Dunja Djurovic
Boban Mazev
Artworks
Biljana Chochovska
Kristina Topalovic
Mina Lesic
Artworks
Dunja Djurovic
Edis Eminoski & Melani Stoleska
Angela Saveska
Artworks
Anja Arsovska & Dejvid Jakimovski
Ana Jeftoska
Loriana Vukajlovic
Glorija Murtovska
Impressions Of The Participants
It is really hard to pinpoint my emotional state today. I feel very touched, but also sad and angry. The significance of commemoration and the fight against political extremism has to be deeply rooted in our consciousness and I think today helped me with that. Also I’m very thankful for everyone involved in the commemoration and it makes me feel more optimistic about a peaceful future.
Impressions Of The Participants
It’s hard to believe what happened in the past. It’s hard to grasp what’s happening in the world right now. And I don’t want to imagine what will happen again in the future. Let’s stick together, be loud, look out for each other and not give up. We are more. NEVER AGAIN is now! ACT!
This multi-year project is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).
This publication does not represent the opinion of the EVZ Foundation. The author bears responsibility for any statements contained herein.
Pictures were taken by the participants of the project, activists and organizers.