Cultural Heritage Research Journal

Nataliia Tomenko

Visual Representations of the Roma Genocide

As a fact Roma people were classifying as "enemies of the race-based state" by Adolf Hitler during World War II, thereby placing them in the same category as the Jews. Historians estimate that between 220,000 and 500,000 Romani were killed by the Nazi Germans and their collaborators—25% to over 50% of the slightly fewer than 1 million Roma in Europe at the time. A more thorough research by Ian Hancock revealed the death toll to be at about 1.5 million. I am sure that Roma Genocide is a part of the history of each country and it has to be shown for mass.

At any rate, Roma museums and Roma exhibitions, which are part of state local exhibitions present real life of ethnic minority during the period of Roma Genocide with their own ethic culture, and to demonstrate their culture beyond stereotypes. Museums communicate their own particular interpretation of the Genocide via permanent exhibitions, as well as through publications and programmes of educational activities.

Often exhibition about Roma Genocide include portraits of individuals, histories of families and scenes from everyday life. Some permanent exhibitions are factual and artefact‐based, seeking to provide visitors with a coherent linear historical narrative. Others question the possibility of a single narrative or history.

Sometimes “classic” ethnographic exhibitions are supplemented with separate segments devoted to contemporary fine arts. There along with materials of the Roma Genocide, can present also art works of Survivors or modernist Roma painters about that horrible period. Also exhibiting of Roma Genocide can be permanent or portable, created by museum funds or Non- Governmental Organizations.

I took three main and well-done, on my opinion, exhibitions about Roma Genocide: The Permanent Exhibition in Heidelberg (Germany), The Permanent Exhibition in Auschwitz “Block13” (Poland) and the Permanent exhibition in Brno(Czech Republic).

Photo from The Permanent Exhibition in Heidelberg

First, the Documentation and Cultural Centre for German Sinti and Roma in Heidelberg is a research and cultural center which has the Permanent Exhibition aims to show visitors that a large part of German society as well as the state institutions of the "Third Reich" were involved in this crime of Roma Genocide. Exhibition has two parts: daily life of a minority on the one hand, and the persecution apparatus and terror on the other. These brunches related to one another in a way that creates a constant tension, which not only challenges visitors to reflect critically on the documents produced by the perpetrators, but also urges them to show empathetic understanding for the victims.

There are a lot of family photos serve as a constant reminder of the countless destroyed lives. Also there are memories of the genocide victims and a wall displaying with names of the more than 21.000 Sinti and Roma who were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where almost all of them were murdered.

Photo from The Permanent Exhibition in Auschwitz

Second, The Permanent Exhibition “Block 13” at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was created as well as by the Documentation and Cultural Centre the new exhibition in Auschwitz in co-operation with designer Wieland Schmid. This exhibition is a part of large Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum that is valuable by itself and shows that Roma minority was repressed by Nazi also. There are reports from survivors, family photos of people deported to Auschwitz. The photographs, documents and reports compiled by the perpetrators - testimonies of terror and industrially executed extermination - are contrasted with the biographies of the victims and the perspectives of those who were personally affected. This approach allows visitors to reflect critically upon the hostile and distorted images of the "Gypsies" presented by the Nazis.

Photo from The Permanent Exhibition about Roma Genocide
in the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno 

Third, the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno is a unique phenomenon on my opinion. There are just few museums of Roma culture of the world. As well as museum in Brno has generous exhibition of Roma history from start with separated sector about Roma Genocide which called “Le Romengero murdaripen – Holocaust”. There are a lot of photos on the walls of two different sides. On part consists of family personal stories, another one include collections of Nazi’ photos and sculptures of people’ heads from medical experiments. 

In conclusion, after comparing of various exhibitions of Roma Genocide, clearly shows that in this case it is something similar of concepts about presentation. In all three exhibitions displayed Roma people ‘as victims’ and the other one ‘as victors’. These two visions are based on the mentioned several times above, dimensions of Roma existence ‘as community’ and ‘as society’, as a community they were victims, as part of the society they are victors, who defeated Nazism. Between these two visions there is in fact no controversy, and in many cases they are presented in various combinations. On the other hand, exhibitions are going out from the frames of national museums of the respective countries, show something very important – personal history.

Personally, I have been just at the Permanent Exhibition in Auschwitz “Block 13”, which had big impact on my personality. I have seen people’ photos and staff of daily life and head pray voices which I will never forget.