After centuries, Europe still has not assimilated its ‘Gypsies’

On August 2-3, 1944, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp authorities closed the "Zigeunerlager," the section designated for Roma prisoners. In this operation, over 3,000 Roma, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed. As many as 500,000 Roma are believed to have been murdered by the Nazis.

Today, August 2 is recognized as the International Day of Remembrance for the Roma Holocaust, with 2024 marking the 80th anniversary of this tragic event.

The term "gypsy" has historically served as a catch-all label for various nomadic or semi-nomadic peoples, primarily associated with the Roma and Sinti, but also applied to other marginalized communities with similar lifestyles. However, this term is now considered outdated and often derogatory, as it perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about these groups.

Many peoples labelled as "gypsies" have distinct cultures, languages, and histories. This includes the Roma, the largest group, and the Sinti, a subgroup primarily found in Central Europe. Irish Travellers, indigenous to Ireland, also face significant discrimination. Other groups include the Manouche of France, the Kalderash of Eastern Europe, and the Dom and Lom peoples from the Middle East and the Caucasus. The Yenish in Switzerland and France, as well as the Kalé in Spain and Portugal, share a history of marginalization despite their unique identities. Similarly, the Romanichal in the United Kingdom, Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians in the Balkans, and the Rudari of Eastern Europe have long faced comparable challenges.

While each of these groups has its own identity, they are often conflated under the term "gypsy" due to their historical lifestyles and the discrimination they encounter. Recognizing their individual cultures is essential to understanding the diversity within these communities and moving away from the harmful stereotypes perpetuated by the term "gypsy."

 

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A marginalised people

This article primarily focuses on the Roma, the largest of the traveller groups. Estimates of the total Roma population are vague due to their nomadic lifestyle and limited participation in civil society, often living without citizenship or national ID cards and frequently failing to register births, marriages, and deaths. However, it is believed that there are approximately 15 million Roma worldwide, including about 1 million in the USA.

For centuries, the Roma, previously referred to as "gypsies" by outsiders, faced persecution, being driven out of towns and having their human rights violated throughout Europe. According to the EU Commissioner for Human Rights, widespread discrimination and deeply ingrained prejudice against Roma and Travellers in modern Europe stem from centuries of violence, stigma, and inequality. Historical events such as slavery, the Roma Holocaust, pogroms, child removals, evictions, and ethnic profiling have all contributed to their plight. Hitler executed mass numbers of Roma, while Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic, have been accused of forced sterilizations of Roma women, possibly with state knowledge. Although these sterilizations were officially banned in 2007, reports suggest that the practice continued until 2010 or 2012.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Europe faced the difficult task of integrating large numbers of Roma from Eastern Europe in the 1990s. Despite policies aimed at supporting this integration and prohibiting discrimination, progress has remained limited, and discrimination persists. This challenge is particularly relevant now, as the UNHCR estimates that up to 100,000 Roma have fled Ukraine since the onset of the war, creating a new wave of refugees whose rights must be protected and who need to be integrated into society. Currently, around 50,000 Roma live in Poland, with 80 percent living in poverty and struggling to access work, education, and public services.

On the margins of the law

Human rights organizations assert that numerous negative generalizations about groups like the Roma, Sinti, and others labelled as "gypsies" include the belief that they are inherently criminal or dishonest. Such stereotypes often arise from ignorance, which develops when one group has little or no access to another, compounded by language barriers, cultural differences, and community isolation.

For example, a 25-year-old Romany man in the UK faced charges of statutory rape involving a 12-year-old girl, which he defends as part of his community’s tradition of young girls marrying older boys. While the relationship is consensual and acknowledged by Roma authorities, the British legal system is intervening. This case highlights the ongoing conflict between Romany cultural practices and state laws, contributing to the growing anti-Roma sentiment across Europe.

Another example of the conflict between Roma culture and law occurs in Western European countries like Britain, France, and Italy, where Roma who maintain nomadic practices face legal prosecution for trespassing and are often denied the right to establish camps or pursue traditional economic activities. Similarly, in the U.S., while no specific laws prohibit nomadism, there are regulations governing where campsites can be set up, both on public and private land, as well as standards for sanitation.

Claims that Roma have been or are being driven out or denied the rights enjoyed by other citizens often overlook the fact that many Roma are not citizens of the countries where they reside. France serves as a notable example, with the French government forcibly deporting Roma who lack French citizenship. One stereotype highlighted by human rights organizations is that Roma are inherently nomadic, while the reality is that many are settled in some countries, such as Italy, where as many as 90 percent are no longer nomadic. However, it is important to note that a significant percentage of Roma in other countries remains nomadic, and their movement across Europe’s open borders presents challenges for nations deciding whether to accept them. Additionally, Roma are among the new groups of migrants entering through the US southern border, placing them at the centre of political debates regarding the acceptance of illegal aliens and asylum seekers.

Racism and scapegoating

Whether traveling or settled, Roma tend to live in their own communities, maintaining distinct language and culture, while participating minimally in civil life. Consequently, claims that they are ostracized due to racism hold some truth; however, the nature of the Roma lifestyle also hinders integration. Additionally, the lack of proper documents and licenses, combined with frequent moves, contributes to many of the conditions that human rights organizations label as harmful stereotypes. For instance, working illegally without a tax ID or social insurance number leads to Roma being excluded from national pension and health insurance schemes in some countries. Unfortunately, the same would apply to any citizen working without the appropriate documentation.

According to the EU Commissioner for Human Rights, Roma have often been scapegoated during crises, a trend that resurfaced during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a rise in hate speech against Roma communities across Europe. The National Library of Medicine reports that several countries enacted disproportionate or militarized measures targeting Romani communities during this time. A study from the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and Voice of Roma states that the pandemic exposed enduring stereotypes of Roma as uncivilized, unclean, and sources of contagion. Outrages were reported in countries including Brazil, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Ukraine.

For instance, in Bulgaria, roadblocks and police checkpoints were imposed on Romani neighbourhoods despite the absence of positive Covid-19 cases, and officials speculating that Romani areas could be “nests of contagion.” In Romania, authorities suggested that a Romani family was responsible for spreading the virus and restricted Roma from entering cities. Additionally, in North Macedonia, Romani musicians were singled out for quarantine.

The same report indicates that 30 percent of Roma live without running water and 46 percent without an indoor toilet or shower. Consequently, the stereotype that Roma often live in unhygienic conditions is substantiated, reinforcing concerns during Covid-19 that these communities could be sources of infection. This reality helps explain the subsequent policies aimed at limiting travel from Roma communities to others.

Poor social conditions

Apart from age, poor health, preexisting conditions, and obesity were significant factors contributing to Covid-19 deaths and serious illness. Roma in Europe and the US have extremely high rates of obesity. Health studies in the US found that 84 percent of Roma were obese, with the same percentage being smokers. Additionally, about 75 percent suffer from high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels, while nearly half have diabetes or vascular disease, and almost half experience kidney disease. The average lifespan of Roma is only 55 years, with strokes and heart disease among the most common causes of death.

In the UK, 42 percent of English Gypsies report having a long-term condition, compared to 18 percent in the general population, resulting in a life expectancy that is 10 to 12 years shorter than that of other ethnic groups. Only 47 percent of Gypsies and Travellers engage in economic activity, the lowest percentage of any ethnic group, compared to 63 percent for England and Wales overall. A major reason for this low economic participation is long-term sickness or disability, which accounts for 26 percent of the population. Across Europe, a 2014 Roma health report published by the European Commission indicated that the average life expectancy of Roma is between 7 and 20 years shorter than that of non-Roma, depending on the country.

There are claims that discrimination in schools, in Central and Eastern Europe, Roma children are frequently placed in special education institutions. In countries like Italy, Roma families struggle to get their children to school due to a lack of resources, such as school buses. However, neither the Harvard study nor any European studies identified specific laws or policies barring Roma from attending school schools. The issue of school transportation is largely geographical, as Roma camps are typically not situated in suburban neighbourhoods along school bus routes. And the relegation of Roma children to special education may be based on academic assessment.

According to the Harvard study, only two-thirds of Roma children in America attended daycare, nursery, or kindergarten, which is often the first year of public school and is compulsory in many states. Only 8 percent completed 8th grade, while 10 percent earned a high school diploma, 2 percent obtained trade or technical vocational training, 2 percent earned an associate degree, and 5 percent attained a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, less than half of the surveyed participants reported that their parents preferred to speak English at home, with many choosing to speak Romani instead. Given the low education levels of their parents and the fact that Roma children are often non-native speakers of the national language, it is logical that many would be placed in special education—a decision based on their needs rather than discrimination.

Frequent moves by many Roma families further hinder children's education, often resulting in placement in special education upon arrival at new schools. This, combined with sporadic school attendance, helps explain why Roma children fall behind their peers. A study by René Descartes University in Paris, led by Jean-Pierre Liégeois, reveals that the percentage of Roma children attending school in Europe remains consistently low, with high absenteeism rates also found among Roma in Spain and Russia. While many Roma children have never attended school, and only a small proportion reach secondary education, it’s crucial to note that special education is still a form of education. The Harvard study indicated that female Roma are 1.5 times more likely to have no education than their male counterparts, but this disparity is not due to laws specifically barring Roma women from education; rather, it stems from cultural norms within the Roma community. Many families reportedly do not value education or mistrust it, fearing that it will introduce Gadje (outsider) ideas to their children. Consequently, many Roma, even in the US, withdraw their children from school when they reach puberty.

A cycle of poverty

One stereotype frequently highlighted by human rights organizations is the perception that Roma are poor, a notion supported by data showing that 80 percent of the Roma in the European Union live below the poverty line. Studies conducted in Europe have found very low participation rates in the workforce among Roma, despite various government programs aimed at helping them secure employment.  

With such low levels of education, many Roma would only qualify for the lowest-paying jobs, which is unrelated to race. In the United States, only about a quarter of Romani individuals are employed full-time, while 12 percent reported not working by choice, with the remainder engaged in part-time work, self-employment, or running their own businesses.

In many countries, landlords refuse to rent to Roma, and while this refusal may be driven by racism, other factors must also be considered. The Harvard study revealed that 12 percent of Roma in the US live in trailers, a percentage that is significantly higher in parts of Europe. In Italy, where Roma face evictions from campsites, they struggle to secure public housing. However, Italy is dealing with economic difficulties and a housing shortage that affects all its citizens, not just the Roma, and all applicants must navigate numerous administrative hurdles.

In the US, 24 percent of respondents reported that they or family members had been evicted, often citing difficulty in paying rent. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, eviction was a consequence of not paying rent. There is no clear evidence that these evictions were specifically due to their Roma identity.

An uncertain future

In conclusion, the situation faced by the Roma in Europe and elsewhere is dire. They are victims of racism and discrimination, with most living in poverty and many in unhygienic conditions lacking running water and proper sanitation. This makes it difficult for them to rent better housing. At the same time, certain aspects of Roma culture can exacerbate these issues and reinforce negative stereotypes. For those who still move from place to place, they often find themselves in foreign countries without citizenship rights.

Across Europe, countries are already grappling with a migrant crisis, an aging population, housing shortages, and economic slowdowns. The allocation of social services to visitors can create resentment among some Europeans, leading to negative feelings toward the Roma. Additionally, the Roma's tendency to live in their own communities while retaining their culture and language often puts them at odds with the laws of their host countries, hindering their children’s ability to excel in school. Low levels of education and workforce participation, combined with ill health and shortened life expectancy, contribute to a cycle of poverty and further marginalization. 


Did you know about the Roma Holocaust? Share this with your friends.  


Antonio Graceffo, PhD, China-MBA MBA, is a China economic analyst teaching economics at the American University in Mongolia. He has spent 20 years in Asia and is the author of six books about China. His writing has appeared in The Diplomat, South China Morning Post, Jamestown Foundation China Brief, Penthouse, Shanghai Institute of American Studies, Epoch Times, War on the Rocks, Just the News, and Black Belt Magazine.

Image credit:  Gypsy children in Romania, 2017 / Bigstock 


 

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  • David Page
    commented 2024-10-19 10:04:54 +1100
    This reminds me of our first trip to Spain. We rented chalets on the Costa Blanca. Mostly family and friends. We befriended a few Germans who were staying in the same complex. One night, while having drinks, My extended family was teasing my wife and I about our tendency to change countries whenever we felt like it. You must remember that Germans tend to be literal minded. I said to them, showing off my language skills, “Wir sind Zigeuner” (we are gypsies). My joke was met, by the Germans, with a sudden uncomfortable silence.

    Some year ago some of the members of my Unitarian church travelled to Transylvania to visit a sister church. Many Unitarians had fled northern Europe to find refuge in areas then controlled by Muslims. One of the things they discovered, and quite disconcerting to a group of Liberals, was a near universal hatred of Gypsies.

    This article talks about the inability to assimilate Gypsies into the local cultures. It is my understanding that they just don’t want to be assimilated. I would recommend a book written by (I believe) a Jewish woman from New York. She spent a year living with Gypsies, and seems to have gained their trust. It is called “Bury Me Standing”. The title comes from a Gypsy saying (I hope I am getting it right), “Bury me standing, I have lived on my knees too long”.
  • Jed Dayang
    commented 2024-10-19 09:08:04 +1100
    The marginalization of the Roma people in Europe underscores a failure to integrate an historically significant yet oppressed group. Despite their rich cultural heritage, around 80% of Roma live below the poverty line and face discrimination in education, employment, and housing.

    Christian ethics call for compassion and respect for human dignity, urging society to confront biases and work toward genuine integration. Practical solutions include improving educational access, enhancing social services, and fostering dialogue to bridge cultural gaps.

    To uphold human rights and social justice, Europe must prioritize empowering the Roma community, making it an ethical imperative for a more inclusive future.
  • mrscracker
    Thank you for sharing this. We have the descendants of Irish Travelers living in a community in Georgia, US. They are devout Catholics much like their counterparts in Ireland and the UK.
  • Antonio Graceffo
    published this page in The Latest 2024-10-18 14:15:38 +1100