Romany Holocaust victims remembered at Auschwitz

August 2, 2016 marks the 72nd anniversary of the nearly 3,000 Roma men, women, and children murdered at Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.

Politicians, Holocaust survivors, and members of the Roma community gathered in southern Poland on Tuesday to remember the lives lost and continue raising awareness around human rights issues. Head of Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Romani Rose, who lost relatives in the Holocaust, spoke about the importance of remembering Europe’s dark past. Amidst rising populism, Leszek Piszewski, of Poland’s Jewish community, suggested the world has failed to remember the lessons of WW2. Similarly citing global tensions, Roman Kwiatkowski, leader of Poland’s Roma community, called for solidarity among Roma.

Statements of support and remembrance have been issued by politicians around the world to highlight the importance in remembering the murder of Roma during the Holocaust and calling attention to their continued oppression.

The International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust created a special exhibition through Google Cultural Institute, titled, „The Roma in Auschwitz“.