The site of the memorial commemorates the systematic persecution of Roma and Sinti throughout Europe, and bears witness to an immense tragedy in one of the darkest chapters of human history. From 1942 to 1943, this site was a place of unimaginable suffering for the Roma and Sinti people, who were forcibly imprisoned in what became known as "Gypsy Camp I". More than 1,300 people, including hundreds of children, were imprisoned in appalling conditions and at least 326 died in the camp.
The communist regime built a large-scale pig farm on the site of the concentration camp, which operated there for 45 years. However, in the Spring of 2018, the Czech state acquired the pig farm, signaling a new chapter in the site's history. With funding from the EEA & Norway Grants and the Ministries of Culture and Finance of the Czech Republic, plans were set to demolish the pig farm and construct a new memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti. After almost thirty years of effort, a dignified memorial was finally built. The project was led by the Czech Museum of Romani Culture in partnership with their Norwegian partner the Falstad Centre, the municipality of Lety and the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen.
The memorial will serve as a place to honor the victims and educate visitors about the history of Roma and Sinti in Bohemia. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and commemorative events, the memorial will serve as a place of remembrance and education, ensuring that the stories of the Roma and Sinti are preserved for future generations. It aims to shed light on the discrimination and hatred that these communities faced, while promoting dialogue on human rights and inclusive coexistence.
Photos: Petr Zewlakk Vrabec
The memorial at Lety u Písku will open to the public on the 12th of May 2024.
Read more about the project:
- To memory and hope at the Lety Holocaust Memorial | EEA Grants
- Memorial Lety u Písku (rommuz.cz)
- Výsledky vyhledávání memorial | New Memorial Lety
- Lety u Písku - Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti - falstadsenteret.no
- Lety u Písku. Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Bohemia | Approved Projects | Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic (eeagrants.cz)