01-08-2025
First-ever monument in the UK to honour Roma Holocaust victims unveiled in Newcastle
A monument has been erected in Newcastle dedicated to remembering the suffering and murder of the Roma during the Holocaust.
It is the first, and only permanent, memorial in the UK for the victims of the genocide of the Roma.
The exact number of Romani people who died during World War II at the hands of the Nazi regime is unknown - but it is thought it could be as many as half a million people.
The memorial unveiled on 1 August hopes to serve as a tranquil space for visiting families and friends, as a place of reflection and to ensure those who lost their lives will not be forgotten.
ITV Tyne Tees spoke to one woman at the event, who shared how "important" the commemoration was for her family.
She said: "It's very important to me, especially my family, because my grandfather's father died in Auschwitz, but unfortunately we have no memory of that, because of World War II.
"It means a lot to us to have the memorial stone here today."
Another person said that it was "really amazing" that this happened, whilst another said "I'm really happy to see what Newcastle Council has done for the Roma community."
In 2023, former Councillor Nicu Ion introduced a motion to Newcastle City Council, leading to the official recognition of the day - 2 August - being a day of commemoration for the Roma victims of the Holocaust.
As part of this initiative, the council pledged to provide a space at the Civic Centre for a dedicated memorial.
Nicu Ion attended the unveiling event and spoke about how the memorial is also dedicated to soldiers from the North East, who helped free the Roma survivors of the Holocaust.
"It's really important to acknowledge the British soldiers from the North East who actually fight to liberate the concentration camps, where Roma were prisoners, and Bergen Belsen is one of them, where the majority of prisoners in those camps were actually Roma.
"So we wanted to pay a special tribute to the British soldiers, so there's a powerful connection," he said.
It is hoped that the memorial can be used to educate others about the Roma victims of the Holocaust.
Ruth-Anne Lenga, from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), said: "It's been so long forgotten. It's been ignored. There's not enough research about it, and teachers really struggle to know enough to feel confident to teach about this subject.
"So at the IHRA we're really determined to support the Roma communities, not just in this country, but internationally."
