Do not forget!

 

In 2005, the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic initiated formation of a working group that shared the preparation of Ma bisteren! project. Slovak National Museum and civil association In minorita became executors of the project. The first phase of the project included an objective to realize a few commemorative information boards (objects) set directly on the places associated with servitude and suffering of the Romany people during the war. The second, no less important, objective was to encourage a societal discussion on the topic and inform the public of basic facts.

Commemorative information boards (objects) have been set:as follows:

• Banská Bystrica – Pieta Hall in the Monument of the Slovak National Uprising – ceremonious unveiling took place in the occasion of the International Remembrance Day of the Holocaust of the Romany people, August 2nd, 2005.
• Lutila – location from which more than 40 local Romany people were deported and later executed on the cemetery in Dolný Turček. Pieta act took place December 15th, 2005.
• Nemecká – mass executions took place in the local lime-kiln. There were Romany people among the victims. Pieta act took place December 15th, 2005. Jaroslava and Ján Šicko are the authors the monument, forged elements were made in the forge of Robert Rigo in Dunajská Lužná.
• Hanušovce nad Topľou – in years 1941 – 43 there was a seat of the system of East-Slovakia forced-labour units where mainly Romany men were interned. Pieta act took place February 17th, 2006. Ladislav Čisárik, Jr. and Alexander Reindl are the authors of the monument.
• Zvolen – victims of repressions buried in mass graves at the Jewish cemetery, Romany people from close villages among them. Pieta act took place April 8th, 2006. Jaroslava and Ján Šicko are the authors the monument, forged elements were made in the forge of Robert Rigo in Dunajská Lužná.
• Slatina – a mass grave lies at the local cemetery. In 1944, almost 60 local Romany people were slaughtered by German troops. The location lied on the former border of wartime Slovak and Hungarian states. Pieta act took place December 22nd, 2006. Norbert Kelecsényi is the author of the monument, forged elements were made in the forges in Dunajská Lužná.
• Dubnica nad Váhom – within the premises of ZVS Holding, a.s. there is a cemetery with 26 buried from acustodial camp. Pieta act took place February 23rd, 2007. Ján Šicko is the author the monument. Pavol Rác made forged fence.

In 2006, from the initiative of the local Romany people, new monuments came up in Dunajska Streda and Čata.

No less important goal was to encourage a discussion on the topic within the society and inform public on basic facts. An opening of the exhibition was a part of the first reverent ceremony in the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica. Visitors could have seen it in the Museum of Jewish Culture in Bratislava - in 2005, in Hanušovce nad Topľou, Vrútky, Zvolen, Košice, Dunajská Streda, and again Bratislava - all in 2006. In 2007, the exhibition was reinstalled in the Museum of Romany Culture in Brno, and in the Gallery of the Municipal Office in Prague 7. Lectures for pupils and teachers were parts of the exhibition in particular towns supplemented with documentary movies projections.

A colloquium The Romany holocaust denied was dedicated to summarization of achievements and knowledge. It took place in Bratislava, June 2006. Anthology A holocaust denied, Romany people in 1939-1944 became one of outputs of the event.
In collaboration with Atarax community from Košice a documentary movie Ma bisteren! came up covering testimonies of the Romany people from Slovakia having passed the horrors of WWII.

Within the forthcoming period, the executors of the project prepare accessibility of other information bringing closer a sad chapter of modern Romany history, and also an unveiling of commemoration tablet at the place of custodial camp in Komárno.