The Slovak National Uprising (SNP) is one of the most significant moments in the history of Slovakia, when the Slovak people stood up against the authoritarian regime and the German occupation. This armed resistance, which broke out on August 29, 1944, is a symbol of courage and national pride. However, as ethnographer and historian Zuzana Kumanová points out, the important role that the Roma played in the uprising is often forgotten. “The Roma, just as they were part of Slovak society, were also part of the resistance movement,” says Kumanová. According to her, some Roma joined the army directly, while others joined the partisans, where they fought with weapons in hand. “Many communities became involved in the effort, whether by providing shelter, helping with supplies, or assisting injured and sick partisans,” she adds. This assistance undoubtedly had enormous significance for the course of the uprising, but it also brought cruel consequences for the Roma communities themselves.
Kumanová further explains that it was during this period that Roma communities were being massacred, often unjustly accused of aiding the insurgents. “There were massacres of Roma communities, especially those accused of providing help, whether real or imagined,” she emphasizes.
LOSSES AND VICTIMS
The exact number of Roma who actively participated in the uprising is unknown, as records were not kept based on ethnicity. However, Kumanová estimates that “in central Slovakia, almost every settlement saw young people, especially young men, leave for the mountains to assist the insurgent army.” The estimated number of Roma victims after the suppression of the uprising is tragic. “These victims are estimated to be around 1,000 people,” states Kumanová, referring mainly to victims from large communities such as Ilia and Čierny Balog, as well as individual executions, where “they were either transported to mass execution sites in the German-controlled Kremnička or Dolný Turček,” Kumanová said in an interview with Gipsy Television.
A FORGOTTEN CHAPTER OF HISTORY
According to Kumanová, the participation of Roma in the Slovak National Uprising is still “to some extent taboo.” Although Roma were an integral part of all significant events in Slovak history, society often does not give them the recognition they deserve. “Society doesn’t realize that Roma are part of all processes, just as it doesn’t realize that Roma were part of 1989 or 1968,” she points out. Even the significance of their participation in the uprising went unrecognized for a long time. Kumanová recalls that “a memorial plaque dedicated to the partisan movement or to Roma partisans was only unveiled at the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in 2016,” thanks to the initiative of the museum’s then-director, Stanislav Mičev. This insufficient recognition and awareness of the contribution of the Roma in the Slovak National Uprising is, according to the ethnographer and historian, alarming. Kumanová believes that if this topic is not discussed, the Roma will continue to be perceived only as a marginalized community. “This is something we need to build upon, otherwise the Roma will remain only those in excluded communities,” she adds.
Rómovia - zabudnutí hrdinovia Slovenského národného povstania.