Ombudsman: Roma Fate during Holocaust Should Be Spoken about Openly

Bratislava, 23 February (TASR) - The fate of the Roma during the Holocaust was overlooked and treated as a taboo for decades, which is why these tragedies must be spoken about openly and without relativising, stated Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky on a social network on Monday to mark the 81st anniversary of the extermination of Roma at the Dubnica nad Vahom (Trencin region) internment camp in 1945. Remembering these events not only as historical facts but also as a warning is necessary, he added. "The genocide of the Roma during the Second World War didn't begin with gas chambers, but with comments about inferiority, stereotypes, trivialisation and with the majority remaining silent. Dehumanisation paved the way for violence," stressed Dobrovodsky. Nonetheless, the violation of human rights isn't just a chapter in a history book, he stated. "Even 81 years after these events, we haven't managed to eliminate all forms of discrimination faced by Roma. They still encounter prejudice, unequal treatment and segregation in their everyday lives," warned Dobrovodsky. According to him, commemorating the victims at Dubnica nad Vahom can also be seen as a call for personal and social responsibility. As hatred always begins with words, it's important to consistently speak out in public against racism, extremism and any manifestations that belittle human dignity, stressed Dobrovodsky. During WWII, a holding camp was set up in Dubnica nad Vahom in November 1944, and Roma families from all over Slovakia were interned there. The capacity of the camp was exceeded several times over, and the hygienic conditions were very poor. Then typhus broke out in the camp, which was put under quarantine. Under the pretext of taking them to hospital, 26 Roma were loaded into vehicles, but they were taken to a forest, where they were murdered and thrown in a mass grave that had already been dug. jrg/df