| Roma Holocaust Memorial Day | |
|---|---|
 Monument to the Memory of the Holocaust of the Romani inBorzęcin, Poland | |
| Observed by | Council of Europe,European Parliament,Croatia,Czech Republic,Lithuania,Poland,Romania,Slovakia,Ukraine |
| Significance | Commemoration of the victims of theRomani genocide |
| Date | 2 August |
| Next time | 2 August 2026 (2026-08-02) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Holocaust memorial days |
Roma Holocaust Memorial Day (known by various slightly different names) is a memorial day that commemorates the victims of theSinti andRomani Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of an estimated 220,000–500,000Sinti andRomani people byNazi Germany and its collaborators duringWorld War II. The date of 2 August was chosen for the memorial because on the night of 2–3 August 1944, 2,897 Roma, mostly women, children and elderly people, were killed in theGypsy family camp (Zigeunerfamilienlager) atAuschwitz concentration camp. Some countries have chosen to commemorate the genocide on different dates.
In 2004 theVerkhovna Rada (the parliament ofUkraine) adopted a resolution on the commemoration of the International Remembrance Day of the Holocaust of the Roma.[1]
In 2009 the Serbian Roma National Congress (Romski Nacionalni Savet) and theInternational Romani Union proposed the introduction of the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust against the Roma/Porajmos.[2]
In 2011Poland established,by parliamentary resolution, the Genocide Remembrance Day of the Roma and Sinti (Dzień Pamięci o Zagładzie Romów i Sinti).Croatia, theCzech Republic,Lithuania, andSlovakia also observe 2 August as Roma and Sinti Genocide Remembrance Day.[3][4]
TheEuropean Parliament on 15 April 2015, declared "that a European day should be dedicated to commemorating the victims of the genocide of the Roma during World War II and that this day should be called the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day".[5]
TheCouncil of Europe also holds commemoration ceremonies.[6]
Finland,Germany,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Portugal,Slovenia,Spain andSweden commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 27 January, theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Czech Republic has four dates: 2 August, 7 March (the date of the first mass transport of Moravian Roma to Auschwitz), 13 May and 21 August. Latvia has three dates: 27 January, 8 April and 8 May.[4][7]
InSerbia it is commemorated on 16 December, "in the memory of that date in 1942, whenHimmler ordered the systematic deportation of Roma toconcentration camps and their extermination".[2]
Various countries have established notable monuments, memorials, and museums to honor the memory of Romani Holocaust victims. These sites serve as powerful places of remembrance, paying tribute to the estimated 220,000–500,000 Romani people who lost their lives during the genocide. They offer visitors an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy and express solidarity with the Romani community. Through these commemorations, societies around the world reaffirm their commitment to acknowledging the historical significance of the Romani Holocaust and ensuring its victims are never forgotten.
