The core team of authors, guests, delegates, and experts at the official launch in London, December 5, 2024.
Between 1933 and 1945, European Roma faced persecution, violence, and genocide at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators. Hundreds of thousands of Roma men, women, and children were murdered, while countless others were subjected to forced labor, sterilization, and medical experiments.
Despite this history of persecution, the genocide of the Roma remains under-acknowledged and under-researched. The marginalization experienced is not just history, but a present reality, deeply shaped by the world’s failure to recognize this genocide.
Drafted by the IHRA’s expert and political community in collaboration with Roma organizations and international experts in education, museums, and memorial sites, the IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Persecution and Genocide of the Roma during the Nazi Era provide policymakers and educators with practical guidance and effective approaches to teaching this long-overlooked history.
The Recommendations feature historical and pedagogical examples, practical worksheets, and Roma voices, highlighting the importance of raising awareness and understanding of the genocide.
This resource aims to promote accurate historical narratives and inclusive education, supporting efforts to integrate Roma history into school curricula and advocating for international standards in teaching about the genocide.
By teaching this history, we have an opportunity to confront deep-seated prejudices and provide a meaningful education that helps us understand the link between past and present anti-Roma discrimination.
Miško Stanišić (Serbia) – Project Chair
Nina Krieger (Canada) – Project Deputy Chair
Karola Fings (Germany)
Stéphane Laederich (Switzerland)
Ruth-Anne Lenga (UK)
Danijel Vojak (Croatia)
The Recommendations was developed by the expert team tasked by the IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma. The work was carried out in close interdisciplinary cooperation with experts from other IHRA Working Groups and Committees, its Permanent International Partners (UNESCO, United Nations, OSCE/ODIHR, The European Agency for Fundamental Rights – FRA, and Council of Europe), and in dialogue with Roma civil society actors and representatives.
This publication builds on the success of the IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust, developed for educators and education policymakers and adopted in 2019.
The development of the Recommendations took four years, beginning in 2021.
In addition, many IHRA delegates, representing all IHRA Member Countries, contributed feedback and suggestions for improvements.
IHRA Recommendations for teaching and Learning about the Genocide of the Roma
1. Rationale and justification: Why teach about the persecution and genocide of the Roma?
2. Content: What to teach about the persecution and genocide of the Roma?
3. Educational policy and pedagogy: How to teach about the persecution and genocide of the Roma?
Teaching about the genocide of the Roma helps societies to:
Education should:
Whether teaching from a human rights perspective, a historical approach, or an interdisciplinary framework, certain principles should remain constant when teaching about the genocide of the Roma:
Roma voices featured throughout these Recommendations offer insights from Roma community members, including youth and descendants of survivors, reflecting diverse experiences and perspectives on the legacies and consequences of the persecution and genocide of the Roma, and the importance of education today.
The term Zigeuner, or its equivalent in other languages, is always derogatory and should never be used, particularly in educational contexts.
The term antigypsyism has a different meaning from anti-Roma racism, anti-Roma discrimination, or hatred against Roma.
The terms anti-Roma racism/anti-Roma discrimination describe hatred against Roma as an ethnic group. They refer to discrimination against Roma simply because they are Roma. In other words, these terms are a targeted, specific form of xenophobia.
Antigypsyism refers to hatred based on the racist and stereotypical concept of “the gypsy” (in German, Zigeuner) and the false racist characteristics associated with the term. It is often directed against Roma but can be aimed at any individual or group perceived to fit this racist concept. This term is important because it helps to highlight and explain a racist concept that is deeply rooted in society. The term antigypsyism changes the lens to focus on the racist, not the victim. “The gypsy” does not exist except as a distorted racist construction in the mind of the hater. The meaning of the term antigypsyism stresses the responsibility of societies for the long-lasting effects of racist exclusion.
Dear distinguished guests, dear representatives of Roma organizations and communities, IHRA delegates, colleagues and friends,
It is a tremendous honor and privilege to address you at the occasion of the official launch of the IHRA’s “Recommendations on Teaching and Learning about the Persecution and Genocide of the Roma during the Nazi era” here in this impressive venue, under the UK IHRA Presidency. It is also a great pleasure, as this represents a massive milestone after three years of hard work – we have, in our hands, a physical copy, a beautifully designed publication, Recommendations on Teaching and Learning about the Persecution and Genocide of the Roma, a summary of joint efforts, accumulated experiences, and expertise gained through years of meticulous research, by IHRA delegates and experts, Roma organizations, and IHRA permanent partner organizations: UNESCO, Council of Europe, OSCE/ODIHR, and United Nations.
So what is it we hold in our hands tonight?
What we have is an opportunity. It is a real, tangible chance to make an impact in the field that was neglected, pushed aside, and purposely ignored. We have an opportunity to shed light on one of the most hideous crimes committed during the darkest chapters of European history: the persecution and genocide of the Roma and Sinti, instigated by Nazi Germany but committed and enabled by many different perpetrators, collaborators, and bystanders.
In life, one is rarely given a second chance, a chance to make things right. My friends, this is one of those rare occasions. We can’t bring back hundreds of thousands of Roma men, women, and children who were murdered, and we can’t undo the violence, torture, and humiliation of countless others who were subjected to forced labor, sterilization, and medical experiments. We can’t turn back the clock to embrace the survivors when we should have done it: in the aftermath of WWII. We should have, but we did not support shattered and destroyed Roma communities to be rebuilt, show our most profound respect toward victims, recognize the crimes committed against Roma, and have a deep look at our own participation in these crimes. We should have, but we didn’t. Instead, for decades and decades, we ignored the truth and refused to do the right thing. We can’t change the past, but we can change the future. My friends, let’s start tonight. Let us open our hearts and minds, and let us open the pages of the Recommendations, and start working on the fundamental change of our attitude towards memorialization and education about the genocide of the Roma and Sinti. We have a second chance to do the right thing.
It is not going to be easy. I said at the beginning that this is a milestone. I said it because we are just halfway through. This is just a half-time – to use a football lingo. Finalizing the Recommendations is an outstanding achievement, but if we don’t push now for a genuine commitment to translate and implement these guidelines, we will end up with a nice but worthless publication. Earlier today at the Plenary, we heard several countries pledge to start working on translations and implementations, which is a promising start! But IHRA has 35 member countries, and we must teach and learn about the persecution and genocide of the Roma in all of them.
We face many challenges in the coming period. To illustrate some of the problems, I will share with you that during the work on the Recommendations, we received many comments by national IHRA delegations. Most of the comments were very meaningful and helpful. But, for instance, we got an official comment from one ministry of education where they were protesting over our proposed text where we stated that in the aftermath of the war, some Roma left their homelands because of continued discrimination. This ministry claimed that these Roma left their homelands because of economic reasons, not because of discrimination, and insisted that we change this paragraph – and we did. Of course, the truth is that the continuous economic disadvantage of the Roma communities is a direct consequence of discrimination and the losses during the persecution and genocide. In other words, this is an example of a huge lack of understanding and knowledge but also a lack of will, I would say. And these are the same people who are supposed to implement and disseminate the recommendation and lead the work in their countries?
We can achieve it despite everything, but we need allies. We need coalitions between experts, official state institutions, memorials and museums, civil society, and above all – Roma communities.
I am so pleased to see so many friends and colleagues from various Roma communities around Europe and the UK tonight. I am so grateful for your trust in our work and your meaningful support and participation in creating the Recommendations. I am very proud that our Recommendations are filled with genuine, contemporary Roma voices and perspectives. This will, I am confident, help many decision and policymakers, as well as teachers, to better understand the impact of the past on the present, the continuous link between the persecution and genocide during the Nazi era, and antigypsyism today.
I want to express my gratitude to several individuals. First, I want to thank the late Professor Yehuda Bauer, whose guidance was instrumental in founding the Committee on the Genocide of the Roma and bringing this important topic to the agenda of the IHRA.
I also want to acknowledge several colleagues who have since retired: Martina Meshcke, whose leadership and initiative were crucial to this project; Oliver von Mengersen, who encouraged us to push further; and Gerhard Baumgartner, whose expertise and wisdom greatly contributed to our efforts.
I am grateful to Nina Krieger, who co-chaired the project with me, and the core project team members Karola Fings, Stephane Laederich, Ruth-Anne Lenga, and Danijel Vojak.
A special thank you goes to Natalie and Rebecca from the IHRA Permanent Office; without their support, we would not have achieved our goals. I also appreciate the continuous support from the Greek, Swedish, Croatian, and UK IHRA presidencies. Finally, I thank all IHRA delegates, experts, Roma organizations, and partners involved in this critical work.
Tonight, we celebrate, but already tomorrow, let’s go to work.
Thank you.
Miško Stanišić, Project Chair