The event commemorated the night of 2–3 August 1944, when 2,897 Roma - mostly women, children, and elderly people - were murdered by Nazi Germans in gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau, located on Polish territory occupied by Germany during World War II. Since 1997, this date has been observed as International Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.
The commemoration brought together Holocaust survivors, Roma and Sinti community leaders, Polish and European officials, and representatives of civil society.
Chairman of the Ventral Council of Germani Sinti and Roma, Romani Rose (second from left, front row). Photo: PAP/Jarek Praszkiewicz
Among the speakers and participants were Romani Rose, Chair of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Auschwitz Museum Director Piotr Cywiński, and Vice-President of the European Parliament, Martin Hojsík.
Ceremonies also took place in other parts of Poland, including Łódź. At the courtyard of the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, the tribute featured wreath-laying, moments of silence, and performances of traditional Roma music - honouring the hundreds of thousands of Roma and Sinti murdered during the Holocaust.
Holocaust survivor Dieter Flack (center). Photo: PAP/Jarek Praszkiewicz
Honouring Roma and Sinti victims of Nazi persecution during World War II
Marking European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty stressed the importance of honouring the memory of over 500,000 Roma and Sinti victims murdered during World War II.
The politician underlined the crucial role of education, museums, and Roma-led initiatives in preserving this history and building a more inclusive future.
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Source: X/@HolocaustUK/@CommissionerHR/YouTube.com/Commissioner of Human Rights