Ellen Germain

Video statement on the occasion of 2 August 2024, Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma

Thank you for inviting me to participate virtually in today’s commemoration. I wish I could be there in person to stand with you as we honor and remember the thousands of Roma and Sinti murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Nazi regime.

On August 2, 1944, more than 4000 Roma and Sinti were killed in Auschwitz-Birkenau. On this 80^th anniversary of that tragedy, we mourn them, and all the Roma and Sinti killed in Nazi death camps and concentration camps.

As we remember the genocide of the Roma, and the lives taken by the Nazis and their allies and collaborators, we mourn everything that was lost with them – the history, the memories, the cultural knowledge, the family stories.  We remember all the lives that were so brutally cut short . . . I think especially of the children who never had a chance to grow to adulthood.

We also have to recognize that the genocide of the Roma during World War II has often been neglected by history. We honor those academics and activists who have brought attention to these terrible events while acknowledging they have not been studied, researched, or commemorated in all their depth and complexity.

We must also acknowledge this genocide was the culmination of countless steps to segregate and dehumanize Roma and Sinti. Regrettably, Roma and Sinti continue to face prejudice and discrimination today. 

As we remember and honor those killed 80 years ago, let’s also find in their memory the strength to stand against all forms of hatred and bigotry. Let’s pledge to build societies that protect and value all citizens.  And let’s all work together to end racism and the marginalization of Roma and Sinti.