Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism

This memorial is dedicated to the Sinti and Roma victims of Nazi Germany. It’s estimated that around 220,000 to 500,000 people were killed during the Porajmos, better known as the Romani Genocide. This mass murder was not recognized as genocide by the German government until 1982.

The memorial was designed by Dani Karavan and unveiled in 2012. The government had agreed to build the memorial in 1992, but it suffered years of delays and disputes.

The monument is composed of a dark, circular pool of shallow water with a triangular stone set in the center. It’s designed to represent the badge the Sinti and Roma were forced to wear by the Nazis in concentration camps. 

A fresh flower is laid on the triangular center stone daily. The words to Auschwitz by Santiago Spinelli are engraved around the edge of the memorial.

Recently, activists and families have voiced concerns about the plans of the German rail company, Deutsch Bahn, to build an underground line that would run under the memorial. They fear the construction of a new rail line will result in the memorial being dismantled. 

While the rail line says these fears are unfounded, the Sinti and Roma communities still have concerns for the future of their memorial.