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 […]
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 […]
I don’t live with them; I don’t know them.
Ivana BroftovaSchool of Social StudiesUsti nad LabemI’m curious about one thing: who are they? What nationality are they? Where did they come from?There’s one Romany family in Vedomice where I live. I don’t see them very often. I occasionally see their four children. I don’t even know their names. I think they try to look […]
But I’m not scared of them: why is that?
Lucie SlabaSchool of Social Studies Usti nad LabemWhen I was about seven and in first grade I was coming home with a friend. I don’t remember this very well, but I know that we met two Romany boys. We didn’t do anything bad, we were just walking and laughing about something. But all of a […]
A little scar on my lip reminds me
Petra Novakova School of Social Studies Usti nad LabemWhen I was six we lived in a panel house. Just two doors from us lived a Romany family. They had a daughter Monika and a son Mirek. The family was decent, clean and hard-working. The children attended school regularly. A normal family.I used to play with […]
Recent Comments