Holocaust Remembrance of Roma and Sinti in Communist East Central Europe: Panel of the Prague Forum for Romani Histories

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

The Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti was a neglected and overlooked topic throughout Europe after the Second World War. This does not mean, however, that the Roma and Sinti themselves did not attempt to raise awareness of the Holocaust after the war, to commemorate and remember the fate of their relatives, and to obtain just compensation. The efforts of Roma and Sinti did not take place in a vacuum, but were limited by the legal and ideological framework and depended on their relations with the non-Roma population at the local level. This panel features three case studies from communist Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Romania.

Sub Unit

• History: 1945-1990

Chair

• Benjamin Frommer, Northwestern U

Papers

• 'As a Memorial to the Comedians There is a Lime Tree in the Meadow': A Case Study of the Šmíd Romani Family in Postwar Czechoslovakia - Renata Berkyova, Institute of Contemporary History CAS (Czech Republic)

• Female Romani Survivors and Their (Non-)Recognition as Victims of Fascism in East Germany - Verena Meier, U of Heidelberg (Germany)

• From 'Cardboard Boats' to the 'Redeemer Queen': Postwar Mnemonics of Roma Persecution in Romania - Adrian-Nicolae Furtuna, National Centre of Roma Culture

Discussant

• Katerina Capkova, Institute of Contemporary History CAS (Czech Republic)