80th Anniversary of the Genocide of the Roma

Eighty years ago today, the Nazis murdered more than 4,200 Roma in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau, most of them ill, elderly, women, and children. By the end of World War II at least 250,000 Roma had been killed by the Nazis and their collaborators. Today, we commemorate and honor them all.

The genocide of the Roma was not internationally recognized until decades after the war. Survivor testimony and forensic evidence continues to emerge to this day. As we remember and honor the victims, we call on governments to encourage the fullest possible documentation of the genocide, to end ongoing discrimination against Roma and Sinti, and to ensure that their rights and dignity are protected and respected.