Oliviana's Blog

As I have mentioned in my previous blog, for this paper, I have been researching the Roma/Romani Genocide which occurred during the Second World War. This has been the most difficult paper to research so far, simply because there are not as many easily accessible resources for this subject. However, I am trying my best and have found the USC library resources helpful.  This source that I found from The National WWII Museum: New Orleans, summarizes some of the traumatic experiences these Roma victims faced, "known as “Gypsies”...to outsiders, the people who called themselves Roma, Sinti, and Manouches (among others) were declared to be of alien blood under Germany’s Nuremberg Laws and suffered under the same genocidal regime as Europe’s Jews," but also details what life was like for them after the War.  I would recommend this resource to my classmates who are interested in WWII and understadning the true hatred and horrors which were spread at that time.     ...

History class was always one of my favorite courses throughout my education. I was fascinated in understanding my own culture better, as well as the cultures and stories of people around the world. In my History of the Holocaust class in 12th grade, there was one sub-topic by teacher touched upon that I always wanted to research further and that was the Romani Genocide. Even my teacher herself said that this horrible massacre of at least half a million people is not talked about nearly enough inside or outside of the classroom. I believe there may be social and political reasons why this Holocaust is not spoken about as much as the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust, because the Romani, sometimes degradingly referred to as “Gypsies”, were/are considered untrustworthy and still remain third class citizens in Europe, even to this day. It is important to me that these victims and their descendants receive the recognition and aid that they deserve.