Events

August 2 is the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma. On the night of 2 to 3 August 1944, approximately 4,300 children, women, and men – members of the minority – were murdered by the SS during the liquidation of the so-called “Gypsy Camp” at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. This crime stands symbolically for the long-marginalized genocide of around 500,000 Sinti and Roma during National Socialism.

To mark this memorial day, the Ravensbrück Memorial Museum is hosting a programme that commemorates the history of persecution and murder of Sinti and Roma and invites reflection on its enduring effects in society today.

PROGRAMME

11:15 am
Thematic Tour: Sinti and Roma at the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp
Meeting point: Visitor Information Centre

This 90-minute guided tour focuses on the history of Sinti and Roma imprisoned at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. At its centre are the testimonies and memories of survivors such as Ceija Stojka, Katharina Waitz and Walter Winter. Their accounts, artistic expressions, and autobiographical texts provide insights into their persecution and imprisonment in Ravensbrück and other Nazi concentration camps.

2:00 pm
"Great-Uncle Paul’s Violin Bow: The Family History of a Prussian Sinto" (translated title of the original German edition) – Reading and Discussion with Romeo Franz
Location: Event Hall

For decades, musician, activist, and former Member of the European Parliament Romeo Franz has been advocating for the rights of Sinti and Roma. Together with author Alexandra Senfft, he tells the remarkable story of his Prussian Sinti family, spanning from the 19th century to the present, in the book Great-Uncle Paul’s Violin Bow.

This carefully researched family chronicle not only offers insight into a rich cultural heritage but also traces experiences of racism and persecution—from discrimination in the German Empire and the crimes of National Socialism to ongoing exclusion and violence today.

Particularly moving is the fate of Bärbel Pohl, a young Sintezza from Berlin who was deported from Auschwitz to Ravensbrück in 1944 and died in early 1945 as a result of the harsh conditions in the camp. A final letter from Bärbel to her mother, written from Ravensbrück, has been preserved and is included in the book.

The following discussion will explore the book’s themes in greater depth and examine both historical and present-day perspectives on the situation of Sinti and Roma.

Afterwards, all participants are invited to join a silent commemoration at Lake Schwedtsee.

Participation is free of charge. No registration required.

Venue

Mahn- und Gedenkstätte Ravensbrück

Straße der Nationen

16798 Fürstenberg/Havel