Timelines

With the end of the Cold War and the rise of nationalist movements in Eastern Europe, racism against Roma increased dramatically in these countries. Many fled to Germany. While the wars in Yugoslavia began and forced more Roma to flee, Germany began deporting Roma already living here. A broad resistance was formed against this. In 1989, hundreds of Roma occupied the memorial site of the former concentration camp Neuengamme to protest against the planned deportation of 1000 Roma . In 1990, Roma occupied the Cologne Cathedral and undertook a protest march through many towns in North Rhine-Westphalia to oppose the end of the deportation ban to Yugoslavia. In 1991 and 1992, there were further occupations, including next to the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf and the foreigners authority in Cologne. In May 1993, Romna protested at the Dachau concentration camp memorial against their imminent deportation to Macedonia, Romania and other countries. Some Romna were granted residence through these struggles for the right to stay. However, many were deported or are still living in Germany with a “tolerated permit”  ("Duldung").