Eva RidajováNové StrasecíThe totalitarian regime left its mark on my childhood. I come from a Romany family, and the totalitarian system aimed at eradicating Romany culture. As far as our large family is concerned, they very nearly succeeded. Our parents assimilated. They brought us up in the Czech way, as the regime prescribed. They wanted […]
Stories & Responses
We don’t understand that our indifference is racism
Katerina SidonovaPrague I have been interested in the Romany problem for more than twelve years. My friends and the people around me don’t understand why. Most Czech people tend to look at the Roma as something unpleasant. They always say, "I am no racist.” And “Yes, Roma are people too.” But: “I don’t like Gypsies. […]
A lot of people have bad experiences with us Roma
Eva BajgerovaRomany Adviser to the Regional GovernmentUsti nad LabemA lot of people have bad experiences with us Roma. A man started a store with machines in our neighborhood. Machines for sawing lumber and all that. He repaired the house, and had a new façade put on. Romany kids were playing ball in front of the […]
You got him moving
[8/6/01The following exchange between a Romany adviser to a Czech regional government office and a Jewish survivor of Terezin and Auschwitz focuses on the fact that some seventy per cent of Romany children in the Czech Republic have been placed in so-called special schools for the mentally retarded. This is an issue which the 27 […]
Listening to stories wasn’t enough for them
Eva BajgerovaRomany Adviser to the Regional GovernmentUsti nad LabemThere is a very large Romany population in Predlice near Usti nad Labem. People say: "Don’t go to Predlice, it’s full of Gypsies; something bad could happen to you.”I go to schools to talk with students about Roma.I tell them about my life. It’s best to show […]
We don’t know them
Anna StepankovaGymnazium Jan Patocka PragueWhat is my attitude towards Roms and skinheads? I don’t know, in fact. When I see a group of Roms or a group of skinheads, I cross the street to avoid them. For me it is the same with Roms and with skinheads. I have no experience with skinheads, I only […]
He was accused of assault
Michaela CernaSchool of Social StudiesUsti nad LabemMy uncle worked in Predlice in Technoplyn. One evening he was driving home, and when he was going through Predlice, he heard someone shouting. When he slowed down he saw two Gypsy men beating a Gypsy woman. She was calling for help. My uncle stopped, but didn’t know whether […]
Create your own points of view
L.KristanovaSchool of Social StudiesUsti nad Labem I’m sad that many people don’t judge others by their character, but by the color of their skin. They should realize that nobody is able to choose his color. I don’t want to take the side of the black, yellow or white people. I only mean that we can’t […]
And he was white
Lucie KrupickovaSchool of Social StudiesUsti nad LabemThe situation is better nowadays. At least people are talking about it. And I think there were no Roms in politics in the past, but there are today. That’s a step forward.There is one thing I like about Roms: they respect traditions, and they help each other. I mean — when […]
Is racism a threat that may come true?
Jiri NovakSchool of Social StudiesUsti nad LabemAt the beginning of the past century a not very well known Adolf Hitler who was working as a house painter published a book called “Mein Kampf.” In 1945 the people who liberated the Nazi camps were terrified by what they saw: rows and rows of dead bodies, some […]
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