The Romani Holocaust is one of the darkest chapters of Romani history, yet, it is not widely discussed. Through an exhibition, an educational program, and a theatrical performance, we aim to confront this historical injustice and reflect on contemporary understandings of Romani history and the Holocaust in the Czech Republic.
- More than 5,000 Roma and Sinti were murdered during the Nazi persecution. We revisit their stories.
- The partner of the project is the Museum of Romani Culture, a state-funded organization behind the exhibition and educational programs.
- Slovo 21 organizes guided tours and school workshops, complemented by a Theatre of the Oppressed performance.
- Stories of Survivors / Příběhy přeživších will run from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2026.
The Exhibition Stories of Survivors
The exhibition, Stories of Survivors, presents the powerful accounts of six Romani men and women who were imprisoned in the concentration camp at Lety u Písku. Through photographs, texts, and especially audio recordings, the exhibition explores the diversity of Romani experiences and the distinct life paths of individuals labeled as “Gypsies,” who became victims of Nazi racial persecution. Visitors are confronted with the authentic memories of those who endured unimaginable suffering during World War II and gave their testimony.Over the course of two years, the exhibition will be displayed twice in Prague and in Hodonín u Kunštátu, where the Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Moravia is located, as well as in other cities. The author of the exhibition is Jiří Smlsal and is part of Center for the Roma and Sinti project in Prague, which was supported by Norway Grants 2014–2021.
School Workshops
How do you introduce such a dark chapter of history, as the Romani Holocaust to elementary and high school students? After much reflection, we developed an original educational program combining a workshop with a discussion session.In the first part, students will learn about the history of Roma and Sinti during World War II through the stories of survivors. In the second part, they will engage in a discussion.
Theatre of the Oppressed
The Theatre of the Oppressed method uses personal stories and scenarios based on real events to provoke social dialogue. In this project, we will collaborate with a group of 7–10 Roma individuals, who are not professional actors. These people struggle with the persistent neglect of the Roma Holocaust. Along with their ancestors, they were never recognized as victims of the Holocaust, received no compensation, and their pain remains largely unrecognized. We will transform their experiences into a theatrical performance that will open a dialogue between (non)actors and the audience. We will then primarily perform this performance for pupils at schools.
This project is supported by the EVZ Foundation.
The exhibition was funded by the Norway Funds, the Roma and Sinti Centre in Prague, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
