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| Belzec Romany Camp * |
The Romany ("Gypsies") are an ethnic group of Indian origin. They call themselves
Sinti in Germany,
Lalleri in Austria and
Roma in southeast Europe.
The Romany, like the Jews, were persecuted and exterminated by the Nazis on
grounds of race. Between 220,000 and 500,000 Romany were killed in Europe during
WW2, mainly in
Auschwitz,
Chelmno, the
Aktion Reinhard camps, by the
Einsatzgruppen, and in other concentration
camps or forced labour camps.
The
Sinti, the group who settled mainly in north-west Europe with their distinct culture,
have been resident in Germany for some 600 years.
As early as
21 September 1939
Reinhardt Heydrich, head of the
RSHA (Reich Security Main Office), in accordance with Nazi
racist ideology, decided to deport the Romany to the
Generalgouvernement in occupied Poland.
Himmler's order of
27 April 1940
that 2,500 German Romany be deported to
Belzec,
Krychow, and
Siedlce in occupied Poland was put into action in
May. The deportation transports left from
Hamburg,
Köln, and
Hohenasperg near
Stuttgart.
Photos:
USHMM
*
GFH
*
The story of Martha W.
 | = more detailed.
The story of Regine Böhmer and Lotte Braun.
| = more detailed.
The story of Gottfried Weiss
| = more detailed.
|
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German Roma, deported to
Belzec and Majdanek #1
*
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German Roma, deported to
Belzec and Majdanek #2
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Roma Children in Belzec |
© ARC 2005
