The Lety memorial also represents the ongoing fight for the dignity of today’s Roma

In the spring of 2024, Czech Romani society witnessed an historic event. Nearly 80 years after World War II, the Lety u Písku Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Bohemia was inaugurated on the site of the former concentration camp in Lety, Czech Republic. The journey to this inauguration was not easy, as for decades a pig farm was in operation on this site, a degrading reminder of the indifference towards the memory of these genocide victims and the families of the Romani survivors. Throughout this long period, we saw the tireless efforts of the descendants of Romani survivors, led by Čeněk Růžička and other activists and supporters who fought to have the pig farm removed and to honor the victims with dignity. At the same time, however, we have observed their systemic marginalization, the casting of doubt upon and even denial of the racial persecution of the Roma, which has led to a demeaning portrayal of the Roma as inferior Czech citizens.

The inauguration of the memorial does not mean we can put the past behind us. It is not just a simple reminder of the past events for which Czech society is repaying a debt to­­­ the Roma (and to itself). Besides reminding us of the suffering of Romani women, men, and children, the memorial also serves as a public act, the manifestation of a political stance. Through it, the political leadership acknowledges the Holocaust of Czech Roma and Sinti, committing, to some extent, to include it in the broader domestic narrative of World War II. For this to actually happen, it is essential to incorporate information about the fate of Czech Roma and Sinti in school textbooks, preferably portraying the Roma as active participants in historical events, including their post-war efforts to establish a public Holocaust memorial. These efforts for dignified remembrance and the acknowledgment of the racial persecution of the Roma are an inseparable part of Romani history and how the Holocaust of the Roma is narrated. It is no coincidence that the indoor exhibition presented by the Museum of Romani Culture at the Lety memorial is called “Place of Memory, Memory of a Place.” Nor is it a coincidence that the struggle to remove the pig farm and build the memorial has been described by some historians and activists as a “fight for memory”.

This struggle was also a fight for dignity and for the Roma to be heard. We should not forget the image of Čeněk Růžička, armed with historical documents and family photographs, visiting national and international institutions and politicians to advocate for the removal of the pig farm. He also explained in the media why denying or questioning the Holocaust of the Roma must be denounced and, in some cases, prosecuted. Růžička himself filed several criminal complaints, the last one in 2018, against Czech far-right SPD members Tomio Okamura and Miloslav Rozner. His enthusiasm and fighting spirit  often masked the humiliating fact that to have a dignified memorial built in Lety, he had to first convince society that the Roma actually deserved such recognition.

The memorial serves, therefore, as a reminder of the voices we, as a society, did not hear or did not want to hear for a long time. It also emphasizes that these voices still exist in our society even now that the memorial is complete.

What remains unaddressed, for instance, is the call for compensation for property that was confiscated or taken from the persecuted Roma families during their internment in such concentration camps. This issue has been raised in a recent study by historian Jiří Smlsal, again initiated by Čeněk Růžička, which presents substantial evidence about the confiscated property of Czech Roma and Sinti. The state should start considering whether the contemporary families of Romani survivors, now in their third or fourth generation, will finally receive compensation for the property that was taken from their forebears.

Compensation for forcibly sterilized Romani women

To better understand these voices and recognize the attitudes that lead to the (current) racial discrimination against the Roma in the Czech Republic, the government’s endorsement of the definition of antig*psyism should help. In 2020, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance introduced this definition to identify a specific form of racism against the Roma and called on member states, including the Czech Republic, to endorse it. It is evident that while the definition itself does not guarantee enforceable penalties for racism, the Czech Government’s endorsement holds significant symbolic value. The Government hereby acknowledges that the Roma in the Czech Republic do face everyday racism in various forms.

To ensure that this endorsement is more than just a political gesture, or an attempt to deflect blame for this wrongdoing, its symbolic dimension has to be translated into concrete actions addressing specific cases of racism, and we must see stronger, clearer denunciations of racism from Government representatives, including denunciations of the questioning of Romani suffering during the war. The Government must take action through its ministries to address other serious injustices which have been overlooked for decades. One such case is the forced sterilization of Romani women, which began in Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s. This was one of the most egregious actions against the Roma in Czechoslovakia and is compared to the Nazi abuse of eugenics.1 Despite harsh international criticism, political leaders have long downplayed the seriousness of these medical interventions and manipulations under what was called the “sterilization campaign” and previously refused to compensate the Romani women who had been scarred by this for life. A public apology was not issued in the Czech Republic until 2009, and the compensation law was not passed for another 12 years in 2021 after prolonged negotiations. Importantly, people can apply for compensation only until the end of this year, 2024. Unfortunately, the compensation law is valid only for those who were forcibly sterilized on Czech territory; Slovakia has not yet adopted such a law.

The uphill struggle for an apology and compensation for forcibly sterilized Romani women seems to be over in the Czech Republic. However, it is impossible to ignore how difficult and humiliating the negotiations with Government representatives have been for Romani women. Various parties had to go to great lengths to persuade the state of the seriousness of this ignored issue and the necessity of addressing it. Many Romani women, too ashamed to speak out themselves, found their representative in Elena Gorolová, who was forcibly sterilized under pressure and manipulation by medical staff when she was 21 years old. Currently, requests for compensation for these violations are being processed, but it appears that once again, the response of the state is inadequate. In 2023, the Office of the Ombudsman warned the Ministry of Health of serious errors in the processing of these requests, based on dozens of complaints from Romani women or their bereaved relatives, as some of the affected women passed away during the compensation process.2

To be included and heard

Within the context of political actions aimed at correcting injustices, the opening of the Lety Memorial to honor the Holocaust victims of Roma and Sinti origin and the decision to compensate forcibly sterilized Romani women represent major milestones for Czech Romani society. These events not only acknowledge the suffering and racial persecution of the Roma, but also encourage a deeper understanding of their social status and foster a more sensitive awareness of the human rights violations and racial discrimination.

We should not forget that the Roma, as part of the broader society, also shape its history, though often as people defending their basic rights.

In the Czech public space, a broader debate about these racially-motivated practices and acts, which cannot be framed by any other historical events affecting the broader, non-Roma part of Czech society, is still missing. Instead, we must recognize these as the unique experiences of the Holocaust survivors of Roma and Sinti origin and their descendants, the Romani women, children and their parents who continue to face various forms of rejection and ostracism. It is crucial to give space to those affected, allowing them to share their experiences and be heard.

We should listen to these Romani voices and work towards creating an environment where the Roma do not have to always first negotiate their equality or prove their credibility to the rest of society.