Memorial Day of Sinti and Roma: The genocide Europe struggles to remember

In Eastern Europe, the commemoration of the Roma Holocaust, also known as the Nazi genocide of European Roma and Sinti during World War II, has been a decades-long process. Germany only recognized this tragic event in the 1990s, following initiatives by Polish Roma groups. August 2 now serves as the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, marked each year with official ceremonies and memorials in various countries.

Poland, home to around 30,000 Roma, began observing August 2 since 2011. The Auschwitz Memorial in Poland, where thousands of Roma and Sinti were killed, consistently hosts representatives of government and European Parliament. In the Czech Republic, since 2015, August 2 has been an official day of remembrance, with ceremonies held in Lety, the former site of a Nazi concentration camp.

Slovakia, with about 600,000 Roma, commemorates the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on August 2 since 2005, with ceremonies held at the Slovak National Uprising museum.

In Hungary, Roma Holocaust Memorial Day has been observed on August 2 since 2005. The main ceremony is held at the Slovak National Uprising museum, with government and non-governmental initiatives participating. Romania, with around 2 million Roma, has observed the day since 2020. The main event takes place at the Holocaust Memorial in Bucharest, where President Nicusor Dan became the first Romanian head of state to attend the memorial service in 2025.

Bulgaria, with about 700,000 Roma, also observes August 2 with commemorative events, though it has yet to be officially declared a day of remembrance. Despite its alliance with Nazi Germany, Bulgaria resisted demands to deport Jews and Roma.