Romani People
Stories of Survivors
.jpg)
The Romani Holocaust is one of the darkest chapters in Romani history, yet it is rarely discussed. Through an exhibition, an educational program, and a theatrical performance, we aim to confront this historical injustice and reflect on the contemporary understanding of Romani history and the Holocaust in the Czech Republic.
· More than 5,000 Roma and Sinti were murdered during Nazi persecution. We are revisiting their stories.
· The project partner is the Museum of Romani Culture, a state-funded organization responsible for the exhibition and educational programs.
· Slovo 21 organizes guided tours and workshops in schools. In addition, we are preparing Theatre of the Oppressed performances.
· Stories of survivors / Příběhy přeživších runs from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2026
Stories of Survivors Exhibition
The powerful stories of six Roma who were imprisoned in the concentration camp at Lety u Písku are the focus of Stories of Survivors. The exhibition using photographs, texts, and, above all, audio recordings it highlights the diversity of the Romani experience and the varied life stories of people who were labeled as "Gypsies" and thus became victims of Nazi racial persecution. Viewers are confronted with authentic memories of those who suffered unimaginably during the Second World War and provided testimony about it. Over the course of two years, the exhibition will be held twice in Prague, in Hodonín u Kunštátu, where the Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Moravia is located, and in other cities. The exhibition was created by Jiří Smlsal. The exhibition is part of the Centre of Roma and Sinti in Prague project, which was supported by the Norway Grants 2014–2021.
School workshops
How can we bring such dark historyas the Romani Holocaust closer to primary and secondary school students? We thought about this question at length and came up with an original educational program consisting of a workshop followed by a discussion. First, the students will learn about the history of the Roma and Sinti during the Second World War through the stories of survivors. The second part will then consist of a discussion.
Theatre of the Oppressed
Theatre of the Oppressed is a method that uses personal stories and scripts based on real events to spark social dialogue. In our project, we will work with a group of 7–10 Romawho are not professional actors. These individuals face the ongoing neglect of the Romani Holocaust. Together with their ancestors never were recognized as victims of the Holocaust, they received no compensation, and their pain remains largely unrecognized. We will transform their experiences into a theatrical performance, which will open a dialogue between (non)actors and the audience. We will then perform this show primarily for students in schools.
The project was supported by the EVZ Foundation.
The exhibition was funded by the Norway Grants, the Museum of Romani Culture in Prague, and the Ministry of Culture.
"Today I learned..." What the school discussions about the Romani Holocaust achieved.
The Survivors' Stories program by Slovo 21 revisited one of the darkest chapters of Romani history: the Holocaust. Through theatrical performances, exhibitions, and educational programs, it sought to confront historical events that we must not forget. This time, the program is not being reviewed by the organizers or lecturers, but by those for whom it was created—the students.
"My parents met in a concentration camp." In the production Words 21, Jozef Miker also opens up a painful chapter of Romani history
He spent over thirty years working in a coal mine. But Jozef Miker decided to dedicate an even greater part of his life to fighting neo-Nazism and racism. In fact, he recently received an award from the Museum of Romani Culture for his lifelong contribution to the Romani community. His path as an activist has even led him to the stage. In the Slovo 21 production, he speaks about his family history and his own experiences with racism.
.jpg)
The story of a partisan's grandson in a Slovo 21 production. Zdeněk Serinek on family taboos and his experiences on stage
Zdeněk Serinek knew nothing about his family's story for a long time. Today, however, he proudly carries the legacy of his grandfather, the Romani partisan and resistance leader Josef Serinek. What is it like when heroism becomes a taboo? And what emotions arise when people start talking about it openly? Zdeněk’s personal narrative has also become part of the theatrical production Stories of the Survivors, prepared by Slovo 21.
"I cannot imagine my life being in someone else's hands." How Slovo 21 introduces the Romani Holocaust to students
It is one of the darkest chapters of modern history, yet children in schools are rarely taught about the Romani Holocaust. Slovo 21 is trying to change that, at least in part. Through a special educational program, they are bringing a long-overlooked topic into the classroom—sensitively, humanely, and without oversimplification.