2 August 2021
Marian Kalwary
Chairman of the Association of Jews, Survivors and Victims of the Second World War
Statement on the Occasion of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma on 2 August 2021
Dear Roma friends,
August 2 marks the 77th anniversary of the liquidation of the “Gypsy Camp” in Auschwitz-Birkenau by the German genocidal murderers. This was one of the last stages in the extermination of the Sinti and Roma. On this day we honor all Sinti and Roma who were atrociously murdered not only in Auschwitz, but also in Belzec and Treblinka and in many other places of Nazi massacres.
Unfortunately, it was not a stroke of luck that linked our fate, of the Jews and the Roma, but a tragedy of ourselves, our families and ancestors, altogether victims of German fascism, racism and nationalism. Similar to the Jews, they were condemned to be exterminated only because they were born in such and no other ethnic groups.
Therefore, the Jewish Holocaust and Porajmos are identical.
My dear friends, let us stand up against all the racist homophobes and nationalist scum, so that we can live calmly, with dignity and pride.
