To mark the 82nd anniversary of the deportation of Wiesbaden's Sinti to Auschwitz-Birkenau on March 8, 1943, the Hessian State Association of German Sinti and Roma and the state capital of Wiesbaden are jointly organizing a commemoration ceremony at the memorial in Bahnhofstraße.

Adam Strauß, Chairman of the Association of German Sinti and Roma, State Association of Hesse and Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende will give a welcoming address and lay a wreath in memory of the disenfranchised, persecuted and deported Sinti at the memorial for the deported and murdered Wiesbaden Sinti and Roma in Bahnhofstraße in Wiesbaden. The commemoration will be accompanied musically by June Heilig on the violin.

"We Sinti and Roma have been living in German-speaking countries for over 600 years and are still treated as foreigners by most people. Through laws such as the Hessian Law of 1929, it was easy for the National Socialists to fall back on prejudices and card indexes and use them to their advantage. The current federal election results are worrying for us, as a recognized national minority, but also for all democrats. For this reason, we should and must continue to defend our democracy," emphasizes Adam Strauß, Chairman of the Association of German Sinti and Roma, Hesse Regional Association.

Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende explains: "We commemorate the Sinti who became victims of the state-organized genocide in Germany. Sinti and Roma had been at home in Germany for centuries. They had long had to contend with prejudice and discrimination. During the National Socialist era, this turned into legally justified exclusion and oppression actively pursued by the state. A dignified commemoration of these people is important to us. The commemoration of the deportation of Wiesbaden's Sinti in 1943 is an integral part of the culture of remembrance in our city. Since 1992, there has been a memorial in Bahnhofstraße that permanently commemorates the deportation of Wiesbaden Sinti to the Auschwitz concentration camp and the Nazi genocide of Sinti and Roma. This memorial is intended to be a clear sign of attitude and backbone, of looking and getting involved, of compassion and solidarity. I hope that this important memorial will be more widely recognized in urban society. If we become aware of history, we can learn from it. This is also necessary - especially today, at a time when hatred and agitation have once again become acceptable in many parts of society. It is our moral duty to remember the suffering of the people who were persecuted, tortured and killed under the Nazi regime.

Around 500,000 European Sinti and Roma were murdered under National Socialism. The memorial service will take place on Saturday, March 8, at 11 a.m. at the memorial in Bahnhofstraße, Geschwister-Stock-Platz 1. All Wiesbaden residents and all interested parties are cordially invited to attend and commemorate the deportation and the horrors of National Socialism.

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