Gypsies have lived in Europe for centuries. In some countries this has been a historical fact for a long time, but it is a minority. About 70,000 Sinti and Roma have been living in Germany for about 600 years. In addition to their own language, they speak German as their second language. Where do they come from and what is their history in Europe?
Gypsy
The swear word Gypsy (gypsy) has its origins in the Middle Ages. They were rejected by the majority as second-class citizens and discriminated against. The authentic name of the Gypsies is Sinti and Roma. But whatever word was used, it always meant members of a minority group. The Roma people are of Southern European descent. Wherever you read or hear about these people, the word gypsy is always surrounded by stereotypical prejudices. In the second half of the 18th century, scientific studies on the origins of the Sinti and Roma revealed their origins in India. There is a relationship between their Roma language and the ancient language Sanskrit. Over the centuries, their language develops into its own language, often mixed with the language where they now live.
Rights for Gypsies
By the end of the 15th century, Roma and Sinti lived in almost every European country, but they were completely without rights. That changed in 1446 when the Council of the city of Frankfurt granted civil liberties to a number of Gypsies. He wrote so-called Protective Letters, which clearly stated that they could move safely and unhindered in this country and that they were allowed to buy and sell. Towards the end of the 15th century their relative peace came to an end, as there was also much political and social unrest. The Sinti and Roma were again increasingly persecuted and oppressed. Their guild of craft professions was banned and in many areas they are being expelled.
WWII
In Nazi Germany, the Roma and Sinti were labeled as pagans and even stigmatized them as allies of the devil. Just like the Jews, the Roma and Sinti were once again the scapegoat for everything that could go wrong and violence was used against them in all forms. In the documents they are described as an object that caused the government to stumble, but in reality this population group lived as a minority, but very peacefully alongside the native population. About 250,000 Gypsies are murdered in the concentration camps.
Persecution
The situation of the Roma in Southeastern Europe is characterized by discrimination, poverty, illiteracy, poor health care and a high mortality rate. From 1992 to 1995, the Roma in Bosnia Herzegovina again fell victim to persecution and genocide by Serbian troops. Since the summer of 1999, the Roma have been attacked en masse by Albanian nationalists as a result of the conflict in Kosovo. 90% of Kosovo’s Roma have been driven from their homes, or about 120,000 people.
Culture and customs
There are approximately 12 million Sinti and Roma worldwide and 8 million of them live in Europe. Most of them live in the Balkans, especially in Romania. A small proportion live in Western Europe, the Middle East, North and South America and North Africa. Because they are spread all over the world, they have no established culture or social organization. In general, there is a great sense of community and people isolate themselves as a group from society. The Roma language is also unifying, even though it consists of various dialects.
In terms of religion, most Roma groups have adopted the faith of the country where they live. But here too they are an inward-oriented group. Performing and experiencing religious traditions and ceremonies takes place within their own group with their own customs.
The family
The family plays a major role among the Sinti and Roma. The older generation enjoys respect and has authority. There is a strict sexual morality and therefore it is still customary that an unmarried girl does not go out without male guidance. For a number of groups, a dowry is determined, which is paid by the groom’s family to the bride’s family.
Almost everywhere, Sinti and Roma are under heavy pressure to give up their customs and traditional way of life. Yet it is hoped that their culture will survive with the language and traditions.