A Visitor's Guide to the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism in Berlin: Remembering the Forgotten
The Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism in Berlin is a powerful tribute to a long-overlooked tragedy. Dedicated to the memory of the 220,000 to 500,000 Sinti and Roma people murdered by the Nazi regime during World War II, this Memorial offers a space for reflection, education, and remembrance.
In this post, we'll provide an in-depth guide to visiting the Memorial. We'll explore its history, design, and symbolism and offer tips for making the most of your experience. Whether you're a first-time visitor or looking to deepen your understanding, this guide will help you engage meaningfully with this important site.
Deportation of Sinti and Roma in Asperg, Germany 22 May 1940
What is the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism?
The Memorial, located in Berlin's Tiergarten Park near the Reichstag building, commemorates the Sinti and Roma people who were persecuted and killed by the Nazi regime. This genocide, known as the Porajmos, is often referred to as "the forgotten Holocaust."
Outside of the Memorial
Key facts about the Memorial
Dedication: The Memorial is dedicated to the European Sinti and Roma murdered under National Socialism from 1933-1945.
Opening: The Memorial was officially opened on October 24, 2012 by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck.
Design: Israeli artist Dani Karavan designed the Memorial, which centres on a dark circular pool with a retractable triangular stone.
Poem: The poem "Auschwitz" by Roma poet Santino Spinelli is inscribed in bronze around the edge of the pool.
Cost: The Memorial was completed at a cost of 2.8 million euros.
The establishment of the Memorial was a long-standing demand of Sinti and Roma organizations in Germany. It faced years of delays over disputes about its design and location before finally being constructed, which started in 2008.
Design and symbolism
Dani Karavan's design aims to create a contemplative space that evokes the immense loss and suffering of the Sinti and Roma people. The Memorial's key elements include:
Circular pool: The dark, still pool of water is meant to appear infinitely deep, reflecting the unfathomable pain and grief caused by the genocide. Visitors can see themselves mirrored on its surface.
Triangular stone: The stone rising from the centre represents the badges that concentration camp prisoners were forced to wear. Its daily lowering and rising with a fresh flower symbolizes the ongoing need for remembrance.
Poem: Santino Spinelli's poem "Auschwitz" encircling the pool gives voice to the anguish of the victims with lines like "Gaunt face / dead eyes / cold lips / quiet."
Violin music: A recording of the piece "Mare Manuschenge" ("Our People") by Roma composer Romeo Franz plays continuously, evoking the musical heritage of the Sinti and Roma.
Broken stones: Roughly hewn stone shards embedded in the ground around the pool bear the names of concentration camps and killing sites, symbolizing the shattering impact of the genocide.
Pool showing the triangle memorial and flower placed atop the memorial earlier that morning.
Together, these elements create a multisensory experience that fosters empathy, mourning, and memory. In Karavan's words, the Memorial is "a place of inner sympathy, a place to feel the pain, to remember and never let the destruction of the Sinti and Roma by the National Socialist regime fall into oblivion."
History of the Porajmos
The term "Porajmos" refers to the genocide of the Sinti and Roma people during World War II. It comes from the Romani word meaning "devouring" or "destruction." Under the Nazi regime's racist ideology, the Sinti and Roma were targeted for persecution and extermination alongside the Jews.
The Nazis viewed the Sinti and Roma as "asocials" and "racial inferiors." They were subjected to discriminatory laws, internment, forced labour, medical experiments, and mass murder in concentration camps and killing sites. Estimates of the death toll range from 220,000 to 500,000, representing a significant portion of the pre-war Sinti and Roma population in Europe.
The Porajmos devastated Sinti and Roma communities and inflicted enduring collective trauma. However, this genocide was often marginalized in historical accounts and public memory in the decades following the war. The Berlin Memorial plays a vital role in raising awareness about the Porajmos and honouring the victims and survivors.
Romani in Asperg, Germany round up, in May 1940
To fully appreciate the significance of the Memorial, it's essential to understand the history of the Porajmos - the Nazi genocide of the Sinti and Roma. Here is a brief timeline of this persecution:
1933: Sinti and Roma in Germany face increasing discrimination and exclusion. Some are sent to early concentration camps.
1935: The Nuremberg Laws strip Sinti and Roma of citizenship rights, classifying them as "enemies of the race-based state" along with Jews.
1936: Racial hygiene researchers begin issuing reports that portray Sinti and Roma as criminally inclined and hereditarily inferior.
1938-1939: Sinti and Roma are subjected to systematic registration by the police. Hundreds are rounded up into internment camps.
1940: Mass deportations of German and Austrian Sinti and Roma to occupied Poland begin. Many are forced into ghettos or slave labour.
1941-1944: SS and police shoot thousands of Sinti and Roma in Eastern Europe. Others are deported to killing centres like Auschwitz-Birkenau, Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka.
1944: On August 2-3, the Nazis liquidate the "Gypsy family camp" at Auschwitz, murdering nearly 3,000 Sinti and Roma in gas chambers.
1945: By the end of the war, historians estimate that at least 250,000 - and possibly over 500,000 - Sinti and Roma were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators.
After the war, Sinti and Roma survivors struggled for recognition and restitution. The West German government did not formally acknowledge this genocide until 1982. Discrimination against Sinti and Roma communities persists in Europe to this day.
Visiting the Memorial
Location and directions
The Memorial is located in the Tiergarten Park in central Berlin, just south of the Reichstag building and near the Brandenburg Gate. The closest transit stops are:
Bus: Reichstag/Bundestag (Berlin) on the 100 bus line
Tram: Platz der Republik on the M41, M85, and M5 tram lines
S-Bahn and U-Bahn: S+U Brandenburger Tor station, served by the S1, S2, S25, and S26 S-Bahn lines and the U5 U-Bahn line
The Memorial is a short walk into the Tiergarten from any of these transit stops. Follow signs for "Denkmal für die im Nationalsozialismus ermordeten Sinti und Roma Europas" (Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered under National Socialism).
Accessibility
The Memorial is free to visit and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The site is outdoors and largely wheelchair accessible, with paved paths leading to the central Memorial. There are no public restrooms or visitor facilities on site.
What to expect
When you arrive at the Memorial, take a moment to absorb the peaceful surroundings of the Tiergarten. The Memorial is set in a clearing encircled by trees, creating a contemplative atmosphere.
Spend some time walking around the circular pool, reading the poem etched into the rim and listening to the violin music. Watch the play of light and shadow on the water's surface and the central triangular stone.
Information panels surrounding the Memorial provide a chronology of the persecution of the Sinti and Roma. They are written in German and English. Reading them will give you valuable historical context for understanding the Memorial.
In October 2022, an open-air exhibition was added to the memorial site. It features biographical panels highlighting the stories of nine individual Sinti and Roma victims from across Europe. Animated short films about each of these victims can be viewed on your smartphone by scanning QR codes. The exhibition also delves into the European scope of the genocide, the history of resistance, and ongoing civil rights issues.
Please plan to spend at least 30 minutes at the Memorial to fully experience it. There are a few benches if you wish to sit in quiet contemplation. Remember that this is a space for remembrance, so be respectful of other visitors and keep your voice low.
Tips for visitors
The Memorial is outdoors, so check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. The stone surfaces can be slippery when wet.
The Memorial's design invites reflection and even interaction (like seeing your own reflection in the dark pool). Take your time to engage with it on a personal level.
Reading the historical information is key to appreciating the Memorial's significance - don't skip over the exhibition texts.
Look for subtle design elements, like the placement of the broken stones naming sites of persecution. They reveal additional layers of meaning.
The Memorial is most impactful if you already have some knowledge of the Holocaust and WWII history. Consider reading up on the Porajmos before your visit.
For a deeper understanding of the historical context, consider joining the "Hitler's Berlin - The Rise and Fall" tour. This guided walk through central Berlin visits key sites related to the Nazi era, including the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism. Providing detailed commentary on the rise of Nazism, the impact of Nazi rule on Berlin, and the legacies of World War II. Visiting the Memorial as part of this tour will enrich your experience and appreciation of its significance. Check the website for upcoming tour dates and booking information.
Visitor photography is permitted for personal use, but commercial photography requires advance permission from the Memorial's foundation.
Remembrance and ongoing struggles
The Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism is an essential site of remembrance and education, but it is not the end of the story. Sinti and Roma communities still face significant discrimination, marginalization, and even violence in Europe today.
Reflecting on your visit, consider learning more about current human rights issues affecting Sinti and Roma. Some organizations working on these challenges include:
Central Council of German Sinti and Roma
European Roma Rights Centre
Roma Education Fund
ternYpe International Roma Youth Network
You can also mark key remembrance events, like International Roma Day on April 8 or Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on August 2. Attending commemorative events or supporting Sinti and Roma organizations are meaningful ways to carry the Memorial's message forward.
Conclusion
Visiting the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism is a powerful experience that brings to light a chapter of history that is too often forgotten. By engaging thoughtfully with this site, we honour the memory of the hundreds of thousands of Sinti and Roma murdered in the Porajmos and confront the ongoing reality of anti-Roma bigotry.
The Memorial reminds us that the work of remembrance is never finished.
As Romani Rose, chair of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, said at the Memorial's dedication,
"This memorial is not only a reminder of the past, but also an admonition for the present and the future: to stand up for human rights, for democracy and the rule of law, and against racism and discrimination."