USHMM Slights Gypsies Crowe

The Gypsies of Eastern Europe, by David M. Crowe (Contributor). 1992

Nazi Genocidal Ambitions Against Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies. USHMM Slights Non-Jews, Including Gypsies

My review of this anthology is largely limited to the Nazi genocide of the Gypsies (Sinti and Roma). This seldom-publicized genocide has a name: PORAJMOS or PORRAJMOS.

Much of this book discusses the long history of antiziganism. However, it is ironic that Poland is heavily blamed, in this regard, when—and this is not mentioned–Polish Jews had their own history of antiziganism. This included tales, told by Jews to their children, which painted a very negative portrait of Gypsies. See my review of LIFE IS WITH PEOPLE, by Zborowski.

PARALLELS BETWEEN NAZI GENOCIDAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS JEWS, POLES, RUSSIANS, AND GYPSIES

Author Henry H. Huttenbach cited Nazi official Thierack. On October 13, 1942, Thierack had called on Martin Bormann to “free” Germany of ALL Jews, Poles, Russians, and Gypsies. (p. 37).

HOLOCAUST SUPREMACY: A DUBIOUS MERITOCRACY OF GENOCIDES AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL NON-JEWISH GENOCIDES

Now consider the endlessly-repeated claim that the Nazis sought the death of all Jews. This is the heart of the standard argument that the Jews and their Holocaust deserves more recognition than any other genocide. After all, other genocides were “only” partial in extent, which (imaginatively) makes them inferior in significance to the Holocaust. In reality, a “partial” genocide is not worth one iota of less recognition than a “total” one. So, even if the Nazi Germans had never actually sought the death of every single Gypsy man, woman, and child, the PORAJMOS is still entitled to every bit of the same recognition as that of the Jews’ Holocaust. The same holds for Poles and the POLOKAUST.

None of the authors in this book directly address the question about whether or not the Nazis intended the death of all Gypsies. [However, see Henry H. Huttenbach (p. 32), on how Nazi ideology had deprived Gypsies of a right to life, creating a “skeletal blueprint” for the annihilation of the Gypies].

The (alleged) lack of a Nazi goal for the total annihilation of the Gypsies has been used to de-legitimize the importance of the PORRAJMOS, as elaborated next. (On the other hand, an affirmation of total annihilation has not elevated the PORAJMOS to equal recognition with the Holocaust—thereby underscoring the self-serving nature of Holocaust-uniqueness arguments.)

THE ROMANI GENOCIDE: SLIGHTED AT THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM (USHMM)

Author Ian Hancock documents in his article (p. 21), the USHMM had already been very resistant to inclusion of the PORRAJMOS in the 1980s. Later, the Gypsy representatives were told—and this position was supported by the USHMM–that their genocide does not qualify for equal standing with that of the Jews because Hitler never tried to kill all the Gypsies (Sinti and Roma) during the PORAJMOS. Romani and Sinti spokespersons, however, argue that their peoples were in fact slated for total annihilation. For details on this manifestation of victim Olympics, please read my detailed review of PRESERVING MEMORY, by Linenthal.