To date, there is neither a museum collection nor an archive documenting the “forgotten Holocaust” of the Sinti and Roma and their history of persecution. The project funded by the Foundation Erinnerung, Verantwortung, Zukunft (EVZ) will close this gap and expand the existing collection to include a cultural memory of the persecution of the Sinti and Roma.
EVZ project “The forgotten memory”
Team
Vera Tönsfeldt (Head)
Bernd Bundschu
Dr. Birgit Hofmann
Sascha Hohl
Thérèse Lindemann (parental leave)
Contact
Mail
Tel.: +49 6221 981102
The Documentation and Cultural Center has a collection of historical objects and documents on the history and culture of the Sinti and Roma, National Socialism and the Holocaust, Antigypsyism and civil rights work. The collection forms the basis for the scientific work and exhibitions of the Documentation Center.
Recently, a team has been working on building up and expanding this collection. At the same time, the Documentation Center is preparing a new permanent exhibition. Accordingly, documents, photos, letters and objects are being sought that document the everyday lives of Sinti and Roma in Germany and Europe. We are interested in art objects as well as everyday objects, documents as well as pictures and other media. We are interested in objects and documents that document the history of the Sinti and Roma and at the same time tell of their personal lives.
To ensure that the personal stories are preserved, we conduct video interviews where necessary and by prior arrangement. We want to preserve the stories of the objects and documents that we take into our collection with the voice and image of their owners.
The “Forgotten Memory” project approved by the EVZ Foundation in summer 2022 started in October 2022 with the first research assignments on a contract basis. Its aim is to establish a museum collection and archive documenting the forgotten Holocaust of the Sinti and Roma and their history of persecution. The project will add a cultural memory of the persecution of the Sinti and Roma to the existing historical objects at the Documentation Center.
As part of the project, we will find many different objects, document them scientifically and prepare some of the objects for the new permanent exhibition.
The project aims to work in a participatory and public way. We are therefore particularly calling on members of the minority to get in touch with us as donors and lenders of potential objects. Together we will decide whether your objects and stories should become part of our collection.
