Tajsa

The Holocaust, the genocide of the Jews during the Second World War, is widely known and acknowledged. The genocide of the Roma and Sinti communities in Europe is a much lesser known atrocity, nor has it been similarly acknowledged. The Nazis decreed these populations as genetically inferior, and as enemies of the “Aryan master race”. Many Roma therefore befell a fate similar to that of the Jewish population. An estimated 500.000 (50%) of the Roma and Sinti population in Europe were killed during WWII.

Ever since, the Roma and Sinti communities face difficulties in gaining recognition of the scale of their persecution during the war, as well as in making restitution claims. No Roma were included in the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials for example, and the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe ignored their experiences. Germany denied for a long time that Roma were incarcerated for racial reasons and claimed that they were for their alleged criminal records instead. It was not until 1982 that the government of West Germany officially recognized the Roma Genocide. In 2011, Poland adopted August 2 as official day of commemoration of the Roma Genocide, later termed “Porajmos” or “Samudaripen”.

Up to the present day however, Roma and Sinti continue to face difficulties in getting their voices heard about what happened to them during the war, and what is happening now. They remain largely marginalized in Europe and face racial stereotyping, anti-gypsyism, exclusion, hate speech and hate crime.

In order to raise awareness about the Porajmos, as well as its impact on past and current Roma generations, Radio La Benevolencija created an online platform – Tajsa – with various video- and audio-podcasts and educational resources about the causes and consequences of the Genocide of the Roma in WWII, the Roma identity building and the self-empowerment of Roma communities around Europe. The project outlines the different past- and current experiences of the Roma in twelve countries and regions in Europe. Each episode covers different aspects of – and facts about – the Porajmos and its impact on Roma populations today.

The project aims to use this material to encourage debate as a tool for self-empowerment, since only a self-empowered Roma community and leadership can reverse the situation of marginalization many of them face. All episodes are made in cooperation with local Roma media professionals and experts.

The project aims to contribute to giving the various Roma communities across Europe a strong, united voice on this topic as a tool for self-empowerment. Only an empowered Roma community can reverse the situation of marginalization many of them face. All episodes are made in cooperation with local Roma media professionals and experts.

This project is funded by the International Holocaust Rememberance Alliance and Stichting Democratie and Media.