May 16th - The International Romani Resistance Day

Today, on May 16th, we commemorate the Romani Uprising in Auschwitz-Birkenau in the so-called "Das Zigeunerfamilienlager" (or in English "The Gypsy Families Camp") when about 6,500 prisoners (among whom were men, women, children and elderly) from Roma and Sinti communities stood up against the SS who came on May 16th 1944 to kill them, after there was a decision made to liquidate the "Gypsy Camp". The brave Roma and Sinti barricaded and armed themselves with handcuffs, knives, shovels and stones.

This was a sole uprising of the people imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau, even though it ended bad as (almost) all of the prisoners were killed. This is written in a history as a bravery of the Roma and Sinti People.

Therefore, May 16th is a day of the Romani Resistance on an international scale.