“Auschwitz Still Lives and Breathes in Me”

German and Austrian Romani authors, including Philomena Franz, Otto Rosenberg, and Ceija Stojka, pioneered narratives of their Holocaust experiences from the 1980s onward, offering a unique perspective on Auschwitz-Birkenau's role in Romani collective memory. Their memoirs reveal how forced violations in the 'Gypsy Family Camp' disrupted Romani cultural codes, family life, and traditions—highlighting music, storytelling, oral history, and the natural world as key elements of their identity. By documenting these experiences, the authors not only reclaim Romani heritage but also establish Auschwitz as a central symbol for the Holocaust within Romani communities, bridging gaps in German and Austrian cultural narratives.

Zwicker, M. C. (2025). “Auschwitz Still Lives and Breathes in Me”. The Routledge Handbook to Auschwitz-Birkenau, 241–249. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003262848-27