Central Council of German Sinti and Roma

Central Council of German Sinti and Roma
Name	Central Council of German Sinti and Roma
Native name	Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma
Founded	1982
Founder	Romani Rose
Headquarters	Heidelberg
Leader title	Chairman
Leader name	Romani Rose
Region served	Germany

Central Council of German Sinti and Roma is a national advocacy organization representing Sinti and Roma communities in Germany. Founded in 1982, it addresses remembrance of National Socialist persecution, restitution, anti-discrimination, and cultural rights. The Council engages with German institutions, European bodies, and international organizations to secure recognition and legal redress for victims and descendants.

History

The Council emerged from post-World War II movements including activism by survivors such as survivor activists and connections to organizations like Bund der Vertriebenen, Amnesty International, and International Romani Union. Its founding in 1982 followed landmark encounters with politicians including Helmut Schmidt, Willy Brandt, and engagements at memorials such as Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe and Wannsee Conference-related commemorations. Over decades the Council collaborated with scholars from institutions such as Max Planck Society, Humboldt University of Berlin, and University of Heidelberg to document persecution at sites like Auschwitz-Birkenau, Buchenwald, and Ravensbrück. The Council’s early campaigns intersected with debates in the Bundestag and legal actions invoking statutes related to Grundgesetz and restitution after decisions by courts including the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany.

Mission and Activities

The Council’s mission includes advocacy for recognition of the Porajmos and for civil rights protections under laws like the European Convention on Human Rights and directives from the European Union. It conducts cultural preservation initiatives referencing figures such as Johann Gottfried Herder in heritage discourse and engages museums like the German Historical Museum and Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma. Activities span public hearings before bodies like the Council of Europe, contributions to reports by United Nations Human Rights Council, and participation in summits convened by European Parliament committees. The Council organizes commemorative events tied to memorial days at sites such as Neuengamme and Theresienstadt while producing statements responding to incidents involving municipal authorities in cities like Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, and Munich.

Organization and Leadership

Led since its foundation by chairman Romani Rose, the Council includes representatives from regional groups such as the Central Committee of German Sinti and Roma affiliates and local associations in states like Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg. Its governance interacts with legal advisers who have appeared before courts including the European Court of Human Rights and domestic tribunals like the Federal Court of Justice (Germany). The Council convenes assemblies with participation by delegates from institutions such as Council of Europe forums, nongovernmental organizations like European Roma Rights Centre, and memory institutions such as the Stiftung Erinnerung, Verantwortung und Zukunft. Leadership has engaged public figures including Johannes Rau, Richard von Weizsäcker, and cultural partners like the Deutsches Theater.

Advocacy and Legal Work

The Council has pursued litigation and policy advocacy regarding compensation schemes modeled on precedents from cases involving Holocaust survivors, pension entitlements adjudicated under statutes influenced by rulings of the European Court of Justice, and administrative redress processes in ministries such as the Federal Ministry of the Interior. It has campaigned for legislative initiatives aligning with instruments like the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and lodged submissions to treaty bodies including the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Legal victories and negotiated settlements involved coordination with attorneys associated with law firms and bar associations in cities such as Cologne and Hamburg and relied on archival evidence from repositories including the Bundesarchiv and Yad Vashem collections.

Commemoration and Education

The Council spearheads memorial projects cooperating with museums and memorials such as the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe in Berlin and the Topography of Terror exhibition. It produces educational curricula adopted by schools in Länder including Saxony and Thuringia, and collaborates with university programs at Free University of Berlin and Leipzig University to advance research on Porajmos history. The Council’s work has contributed to public art commissions and plaques installed at sites like Heidelberg railway stations and former camps at Dachau and has partnered with filmmakers and authors such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder-era cultural figures and contemporary documentarians for media projects.

Partnerships and International Relations

The Council maintains partnerships with international bodies including the European Roma and Travellers Forum, United Nations agencies, and transnational NGOs such as Minority Rights Group International. It engages in dialogues with national institutions across Europe — for example in France, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Italy — and participates in EU initiatives alongside the European Commission. Bilateral exchanges involve cultural institutes like the Goethe-Institut and philanthropic foundations such as the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Open Society Foundations. Through these networks the Council contributes to policy forums at venues like Strasbourg and Brussels to influence measures on anti-discrimination, restitution, and minority rights.

Category:Romani rights organizations Category:Human rights organizations based in Germany