Alica Heráková

Spokeperson of the Museum of Romani Culture Brno (Czech Republic)

Statement on the occasion of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma 2020

Lačho džives, romale. My name is Alica Sigmund Heráková and I represent Museum of Romani Culture in Czech republic, Brno, on behalf of its director Jana Horváthová.

This year we remind ourselves the tragic night of 2 nd August 1944, when Nazis murdered almost 3 thousands Roma and Sinti in concentration camp in Auschwitz – Birkenau.

It it tragic and horryfing history of our nation, which has been memorized as Romani Holocaust Memorial Day.

Museum of Romani culture dedicated a lot of its work since the beginning to the commemoration and research in the field of Roma and Sinti holocaust.

It is an honour and the challenge at the same time to be in charge of building the new Memorials of Roma and Sinti holocaust in Bohemia in Lety by Písek and in Moravia in Hodonín by Kunštát, in places of so called gypsy camps.

We are in the historical moment, when a unique institution founded by Roma in 90´s reached support and trust from the government to be in charge of building such a places of memory.

I am aware that none memorial could take away pain, emptyness and traumas. None could change what happened. However it is a duty of our instituion, of our generation to keep memory alive and fight against racism and antigypsism.

Ma bisteraha.

Museum of Romani Culture

The Museum of Romani Culture was founded in 1991 as a non-profit organisation at the initiative of Roma intellectuals in Brno (Czech Republic). Since 2005, the Museum of Romani Culture has become a state contributory organization of Ministry of Culture. It is an unique institution worldwide. Since the beginning, the Museum has primarily sought to build collection funds (approximately 25 000 collection items) documenting the Romani culture and history.