Alexandra Senfft's Blog
October 15, 2024
My Talk at Brandeis University, Newton (MA)
October, 15th, 2024
Mare Manuschenge. Sinti and Roma: A century between persecution, resistance and self-empowerment
Romani people have been discriminated against and persecuted ever since their first documented appearance in Europe in the 15th century. Their victimization culminated in the Nazi genocide: Hundreds of thousands of European Sinti and Roma were disenfranchised, detained, tortured, sterilized and murdered. After 1945, the survivors were hardly compensated for their suffering or their human and material losses. Instead, they were again criminalized and are marginalized to this day. Only in 1982 did the German government officially recognize the genocide and its responsibility for the persecution of the largest minority in Europe. Still, Sinti and Roma are treated as second class victims in the commemoration of the Nazi crimes. In spite of the fact that they are a recognized minority in Germany, they are confronted with anti-Romani racism which is deeply engrained in the society, mostly passed on by intergenerational transmissions that are rarely reflected upon.
In her talk, Alexandra Senfft speaks about the persecution and discrimination of the Sinti and Roma, but also highlights their resistance and resilience as well as their self-empowerment. Her material is based on the family history of the German Sinto Romeo Franz. Franz, who identifies as a Prussian Sinto, is a well know musician of Sinti-jazz and was the only German Sinto ever voted into the European parliament. With his music and is civil rights activism, he continues family traditions of culture and resistance which can traced back to Berlin at the beginning of the 20th century.
August 8, 2024
New Book – Großonkel Pauls Geigenbogen/Great uncle Paul’s violin bow
The family history of a Prussian Sinto
Alexandra Senfft,
Romeo Franz
ca. 304 Seiten
Hardcover mit Schutzumschlag
inkl. Abbildungen
24,- € [D] │24,70 € [A] │CHF 32,90
ISBN: 978-3-442-31707-3
March 2024
Randomhouse/Penguin
>> see announcement
Romeo Franz is the first Romani person (Sinto) in the European Parliament. In Great-Uncle Paul’s Violin Bow, Alexandra Senfft tells the story of his family from the end of the 19th century through the Nazi era up to the present day.
Characterised by the love of music, great solidarity in the family and resilience, the book is a gripping historical chronicle of the Romani people. With great narrative power this book informs about the resistance, self-determination and success of the Franz family. It is an impressive plea against discrimination and racism.
August 2, 2024
Plan to remove Sinti-Roma memorial causes outrage
A new train tunnel running under the memorial has been described as ‘macabre’ given how many Sinti and Roma were deported by rail to their deaths
Derek Scally in Berlin
Fri Aug 02 2024
“This is a symbolic grave for all those who lost their lives, and it is a shame if it is up to this minority to defend it,” said Alexandra Senfft, co-author of Great Uncle Paul’s Violin Bow, a memoir about Romeo Franz and his family. “This is also a memorial for the German people and it is our responsibility, as the majority in the society, to save it.”
>> to article, Irish Times 2/24
Foto: Alexandra Senfft
Sinti
January 29, 2024
Verlust, Verleugnung, Verschweigen in Zerrbilder
Verlust, Verleugnung, Verschweigen
Reflexionen über die Mechanismen familiärer Erinnerungen – ein Prozess
Alexandra Senfft
in: Gross, Ulrich, Schuck (Hg.) Zerrbilder. Zum Wirken und Fortwirken nationalsozialistischer Mentalität
April 2024
Ch. Links, Aufbau Verlage, Berlin 2024
https://www.aufbau-verlage.de/ch-links-verlag/zerrbilder/978-3-96289-211-1
January 22, 2024
New Book, appearing March 2024 – Großonkel Pauls Geigenbogen
The family history of a Prussian Sinto
Alexandra Senfft,
Romeo Franz
ca. 304 Seiten
Hardcover mit Schutzumschlag
inkl. Abbildungen
24,- € [D] │24,70 € [A] │CHF 32,90
ISBN: 978-3-442-31707-3
March 2024
Randomhouse/Penguin
>> see announcement
Romeo Franz is the first Romani person (Sinto) in the European Parliament. In Great-Uncle Paul’s Violin Bow, Alexandra Senfft tells the story of his family from the end of the 19th century through the Nazi era up to the present day.
Characterised by the love of music, great solidarity in the family and resilience, the book is a gripping historical chronicle of the Romani people. With great narrative power this book informs about the resistance, self-determination and success of the Franz family. It is an impressive plea against discrimination and racism.
December 12, 2023
Breaking the Spell of the Nazi Past
How to find a voice and a language to address NS war crimes within one’s own family
Brandeis University, December 13th, 2023
>> To Event
Center for German and European Studies
Mandel Center for the Humanities, First Floor Pod 127
MS 092
Brandeis University
415 South Street
Waltham, MA 02453
November 24, 2023
New Book, appearing March 2024
Die Familiengeschichte eines preußischen Sinto
Randomhouse/Penguin, March 2024
March 7, 2023
Remembering “Kristallnacht”: A Reckoning
My event with Tomi Reichental and Oliver Sears in Dublin Castle
St Patricks Hall, Dublin CastleNovember 9, 6.30pm 2022
Remembering Kristallnacht: A Reckoning
My event with Tomi Reichental and Oliver Sears in Dublin Castle
St Patricks Hall, Dublin CastleNovember 9, 6.30pm 2022
November 20, 2022
My Interview with Pulitzer Prize winner Matthieu Aikins
about his book “The Naked don’t fear the Water. An underground journey with Afghan Refugees” in the Greek newspaper Efimeritha Ton Sintakton
Στα βήματα της προσφυγιάς O βραβευμένος με Πούλιτζερ Καναδός δημοσιογράφος ακολούθησε τα μονοπάτια των ξεριζωμένων παριστάνοντας τον Αφγανό πρόσφυγα
ΜΆΘΙΟΥ ΆΪΚΙΝΣ
Στα βήματα της προσφυγιάς
ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΕΙ ΜΑΖΙ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ «ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΤΩΝ ΣΥΝΤΑΚΤΩΝ» ΣΑΒΒΑΤΟΚΥΡΙΑΚΟΥ
19.-20.11.2022
>> ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΤΩΝ ΣΥΝΤΑΚΩΝ
Alexandra Senfft's Blog
