Himmler Orders Persecution of Gypsies
Heinrich Himmler, a leading figure in Nazi Germany, ordered that Gypsies, or Romani people, be treated with the same severity as Jews. This directive led to the mass incarceration of Romani individuals in concentration camps across Nazi-occupied Europe. Himmler's decree reflected the regime's racial ideology, aiming to annihilate all groups deemed 'undesirable'. The consequences were devastating, leading to significant loss of life and cultural heritage within Romani communities.
Himmler classified Gypsies as racially inferior.
Gypsies faced mass incarceration in camps.
The order exacerbated existing persecutions.
The Porajmos resulted in significant Romani deaths.
What Happened?
Heinrich Himmler, as the head of the SS (Schutzstaffel), implemented policies that aimed at the systematic extermination of groups considered racially inferior by the Nazi regime. On November 15, 1943, he reaffirmed these policies by ordering that Gypsies, who had already faced increasing persecution, be placed on the same level as Jews. This marked a pivotal moment in the escalation of anti-Romani sentiment and actions within Nazi Germany.
At this point in the war, the Nazi regime had long engaged in efforts to marginalize and eliminate the Romani population, issuing orders that categorized them similarly to Jews in their focus for extermination. Himmler's directive was not an isolated incident but part of broader plans that combined racial ideology with wartime propaganda. As a result, thousands of Romani people were rounded up and sent to concentration camps where they faced brutal conditions, forced labor, and often death.
The order was implemented in various concentration camps across Europe, leading to the suffering of many innocent individuals. The Nazis viewed the Romani lifestyle as a threat to their vision of Aryan supremacy, further fueling the hatred that justified their inhumane actions. This horrific decision and its subsequent execution contributed to what is known as the Porajmos, the Romani Holocaust, wherein an estimated 220,000 to 1.5 million Romani were murdered during the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis.
Why Does it Matter?
The order to equate the treatment of Gypsies with that of Jews marked a significant escalation in the Nazi regime's genocidal policies. This development is interesting as it underscores the extent of racial ideology that permeated Nazi policies and the broad spectrum of targeted groups. It highlights how the Nazi regime's focus on racial purity extended beyond the Jewish population to encompass other marginalized communities, resulting in widespread atrocities that had lasting effects on Romani identity, culture, and population throughout Europe.