August 2 marks the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti, commemorating the genocide of Roma and Sinti communities under Nazi rule.
On the night of August 2–3, 1944 — in what is known as Zigeunernacht — nearly 4,300 Roma and Sinti were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau in a single, coordinated act of genocide. Victims included entire families: men, women, and children. That night marked the liquidation of the so-called “Gypsy Family Camp.”
Today, we honor the memory of the hundreds of thousands of Roma and Sinti victims who were persecuted and murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. Their suffering remains one of the least acknowledged chapters of Holocaust history.
This date is also a call to action — a reminder of the continued struggle of Roma communities across Europe for justice, recognition, and dignity. We stand in solidarity with these communities and reaffirm our commitment to education, remembrance, and the fight against racism and exclusion.
Photo: Roma and Sinti before deportation from Asperg, 22 May 1940 [Bundesarchiv]
