Media P resentations of Alterity in Terms of Literary Stereotypes and Prejudices: Zigeuner (Gypsy) Representations Franziska Krumwiede

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On 25 th of October 2012 the “Memorial to the In several European countries the present murdered Sinti and Roma persecuted during the image of “Sinti and Roma” is based on a history Third Reich” opened. The history stands of marginalization, institutional exclusion and exemplarily for the difficult range of interests prejudices. Despite that research people still concerning “Sinti and Roma” in Germany. This suffer from a lack of institutional power to protect opening act is so important because it took more the members of this minority by law. Bogdal than 60 years after the persecution and mass points out that the sustainability of the intellectual killing after World War II to build a memorial for construct of Europe might depend on intercultural “Sinti and Roma” in the Capitol of Germany, concepts that arrange equal living conditions for Berlin. This memorial stands near the “Memorial “Sint i and Roma” ( 2011 , 10). To give an example to the Murdered Jews of Europe” which opened why t his thesis weighs a lot , let us look at what is in 2005. The German Bundestag had decided on happening to Roma people in the European 25 th of June 1999 – after eleven years of public cultural capital Košice where I have just been. debate – to build this memorial near the About 6000 Roma live in a Ghetto in Košice’ s Brandenburg Gate. The memorial is stage win of Lunik IX. The Roma are concentrated there the civil rights movement of the 1979 “Sinti and without having public access to electricity, water Roma”. First post -war associations to put forward supply or heating. Image 1 shows two state “Sinti and Roma” interests have founded in the owned houses for Roma with a gap in the middle 1950s. Since then they have attempted to where a third building was pulled down due to represent material claims of the “Sinti and stati st reasons as officials from the city depict it. Roma“. Though, it must be mentioned that there are

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 51 several Roma activists, social workers and even connected to discrimination against “Sinti and politicians who try to put forward concepts to Roma” as Bogdal pointed out recently ( 2013, 17). support better living conditions for Roma. The correct term for discrimination against “Sinti Unfortunately those projects were not included and Roma” is antiziganism. This term is a result into the Cultural Capital Concept but the activist of Gronemeyer’s, Münzel’s and Streck’s research will keep on trying. One effort they could achieve project called “Tsiganologie ” during the 1980s was the privatization of houses to offer low rents, (Zimmermann 2007, 337). It is a disputed term water, electricity and heat supply. Image 2 shows because of the underlying pejorative term the buildings with those low -th reshold flats. “Zigeuner” (341). Nevertheless in 1995 it had been translated into “antigypsyis m” by Ian Han cock and f urth ermore been chosen as terminus technicus for the discrimination against “Sinti and Roma” including racial, ethnical, religious reasons (Zimmerman 2007, 339 ; cf. Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma 1985 ). An antiziganistic case in point of high actuality is given by Balcanu , who writes about the situation of “Sinti and Roma” in Romania: A country where

during Ceausescu’s era the Roma minority did not have the right to exist and where calling someone a tzigan is worse than insulti ng someone’s mother being a ‘gypsy’ cannot be easy. As a European country belonging to the European Union, Romania has to ensure equal chances for all its citizens, no matter what ethnic group they belong to. Reality is far from the written rules – some Romanians are more equal than others. Discrimination against the Roma minority goes beyond Romanian borders. Italy, France and other EU countries reject the difference of a people that does not have the same notions of social life. (Balcanu 2008, 67 )

Bui lding on Bogdal’s quantitatively justified Moreov er there is an internet platform called observation that stereotypes and prejudices Antiziganism Watchblog (antizig.blogsport.de) against “Sinti and Roma” have been traded which informs about actual discrimination against through Middle Ages until know my analysis aims “Sinti and Roma” in Europe. Indeed the occurring to show their prevalence in contemporary media . question is how can such discrimination exist in different countries at the same time in varying About Interacts of “Zigeuner” S tereotypes degrees? with A ntiziganism “Zigeuner” – What’s in a W ord? Prejudices and stereotypes have been researched by many scholars of different To show the long lasting history of sciences. Social sciences examined the antigypsyism I have a closer look at the terms connection between stylistic -linguistic used in that context: The terminological variety stereotypes and socially based prejudices ( Elliott concerning the definition of “Zigeuner ” or “ Gypsy ” & Pelzer 1978, 7). The analysis of stereotypes in or “Sinti and Roma” in Europe typifies the popular media has extensively been researched historical and social dimensions behind those during the last 30 years ( Kostka & Schmidt 2009, words. I use quotation marks for all those terms . 42f.). Although the research in the field of literary My reason for this is that I want to show that each stereotypes has a long tradition this field of word is a categorization to put forward certain research is still up to date . Nowadays means. With regard to Nazi persecution and stereotypes of “Zigeuner” are most closely mass killings there is a lot of research about the

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 52 complicated mutual accountability between court of justice accepted the so called 1943’s labeling by scientific surveys and racist policy in Ausschwitzerlass of Heinrich Himmler as Europe ( Willems 1997; Cottaar , Lucassen , & beginning of genocide out of racial reasons but Willems 1992). The term “Zigeuner” is to a hig h igno red the Festsetzungserlass and the degree linked to the “Sinti and Roma” genocide Grenzzonenverordnung from 1940 ( Döring 1959, during World War II when about 500 000 so 418). Those restrictions forbade so called called “Zigeuner” were annihilated. The Zigeunern to stra y around in their certain way of substitution of the pejoratively used term living. While the German federal high court “Zigeuner” by the term “Sinti and Roma” can argued that this nomadic way of living was the therefore be interpreted as achievemen t of the reason for genocide and therefore a criminal “Sinti and Roma” civil rights’ movement of the danger outgoing from “Zigeunern ,” Döring 1980s ( Rose 1987, 82). showed that actually it had be en racial reasons (1959, 424f.). He argues that the nomadic way of All language communities have the right to living was supposed to be a genetic matter. So refer to themselves by the name used in their the restriction and deportation of “Zigeuner” had own language. Any translation into other been because of racial reasons. From today’s languages must avoid ambiguous or point of view it seems far paradox that reparation pejorative denominations. (Art. 33 UDLR payments for genocide were measured by the 1998; cf. Harnisch 2011, 28 ) question whether people were annihilated because of behavior or racial reasons and th e “Gypsy” initiatives, organizations and high court’s decision from 1956 has to be spokesmen intended to “claim financial and moral criticized as inacceptable ( Stengel 2004, 58f.). In compensation for acknowledgement of their order to represent material claims and per secution during the Nazi regime” (Willems & compensation payments for the victims of the Lucassen 2000, 252). The problem was that Holocaust ( Porrajmos ) the civil rights movement reparation payments had been denied for needed to emphasiz e an “iden tity of all “Gypsy” - sexually abused women as well as for “Zigeuner” groups” ( Willems 1997, 3). “Gypsy” intellectuals because courts had still been arguing in the Nazi - like Ian Hancock and political leaders use medial jargon: communicators like the internet to show that Gypsies are a people or “even a nation” ( Willems So wurden regelmäßig & Lucassen 2000, 257). The Romani scholar a nd Entschädigungsansprüche von Frauen political advocate Ian Hancock emphasizes that abgelehnt, die wegen sexueller Beziehungen the Romani language originates from an Indian mit Kriegsgefangenen oder Zwangsarbeitern language. in Konzentrationslagern verbracht worden waren. Aber auch Opfer rassischer Often referred to collectively by the generic Verfolgung litten unter solchen Auslegungen. term “Roma”, Roma and Sinti and other Manche Gerichte griffen bei der Ablehnung groups share common cultural, linguistic, and der Entschädigungsansprüche von Sinti un d ethnic ties, and con stitute the largest ethnic Roma auf die Argumentation der Verfolger minority in Europe. Because of the centuries - zurück, indem sie deren Maßnahmen mit old societal prejudice, intolerance, and polizeilichen und militärischen pervasive discrimination that they continue to Sicherheitserfordernissen rechtfertigten. face, they experience problems in accessing Wiederholt traten dabei ehemalige rights and services in most areas of life and nationalsozialistische Rasseforscher als are poorly represented in the public and Gutachter auf. Gleichzeiti g schoben die political life of their societies” ( osce.org 2012) Gerichte den Zeitpunkt, von dem an eine kollektive Verfolgung der »Zigeuner« Though, it is still disputed that a closed group angenommen wurde, immer weiter hinaus . of “Sinti and Roma” is fictionally constructed (Goschler 2005, 194) because of the geographical and cultural differences between “Sinti” and “Roma” ( Bogdal The German federal high court of justice 2011, 15; Eder -Jordan 1999, 51). disclaimed racial reasons for the genocide of “Zigeuner” in 1956. As consequence victims did In short, […] we do not know with precision not have the right to claim for compensation the historical reasons for the Roma diaspora, payments. Though, the German federal high and for their nomadic lifestyle. Harassment

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 53 certainly figures into these reasons, but we do “favorable treatment and their pose as pilgrims” not know do what extent it mingles with reasons for the Gypsies’ “westward migration” human agency, or choice. ( Malvinni 2004, 65) (82). Later “attitudes towards Gypsies […] began to harden” (87) and Gypsies “had become Willems and Lucassen (2000, 252) criticize unwelcome” (88). Chronicles are sources for the the “umbrella concept Gypsies” using the “deterioration in public attitudes towards example of Cohen (1997). He has introduced four Gypsies”. They were blamed for “suspicion of “features” of the diaspora concept: “an often espionage” and for “their failure to succor the traumatic dispersa l from an original homeland; Holy Family on the flight into Egypt ” (85). the collective memory of an escape from an homeland; be it mythologized or not; an ethnic “Gypsy” S tereotypes from the Middle Age consciousness that spreads across group members in several countries and over a long Uerlings ’ survey concludes that the exclusion period of time; a troubled relationship with the of “Sinti and Roma” is a result of mixing “ho st” society; and the possibility of a distinctive semantics and practice ( Uerlings 2007, 87). creative, enriching life in tolerant host societies” Researchers are focused on the tripartite (Willems and Lucassen 2000, 253; cf. Cohen classification of three main stereotypes that could 1997, 180). They point out that these features do have led to exclusion : (1) religious , (2) not fit suitably to the term “Gypsies” except the sociographic and (3) ethnic stereotype s ( Uerlings point of the difficult relationship between the 2007; Zimmermann 2007 b; Willems & Lucassen minority and major society. In terms of labeling 2000). an ethnic identity Willems and Lucassen are certainly right to expose that Cohen’s diaspora Bodgal showed that religious stereotypes concept leaves sociologists “empty -handed” (ibid. have been traded as legends evolved from the 2000, 268). Furthermore the order of the term Bible and became “ (hi)story ” (2011, 37f.) . Up until “Sinti and Roma” set the German “Sinti” not only the 20 th Century legends which originated from literally in the first place ( Zimmermann 2007, 23). the M idd le Ages have been passed on. The English term “Gypsy” refers to the so called “Great Trick”, how Fraser (1995, 60) calls the For something like half their history, there are “status as Christian pilgrim” which granted the few written records we can usefully turn to in travelers free access and protection (80): The following the Gypsies’ trail. Then, once “Great Trick” was that “some Gypsy groups historical references do begin to accumulate, identified themselves as penitants from “Little they invariably come from outsiders, and ma y Egypt”” during the Turkish conquest ( Malvinni have been written in ignorance, prejudice and 2004, 64). Besides some theories say this is why incomprehension. ( Fraser 1995, 10) they were called “Egyptans” which is short today’s “Gypsies”. According to sources from the 15 th century , in 1417 “Gypsies came as a new phenomenon to The emphasis on “Little Egypt” when the Europe west of the Balkans” ( Fraser 1995, 61). Gypsies were explaining their origins to the The words “Cigan”, “Cygan”, “Chickan ”, startled westerner possibly indicates that the “Czyganychyn”, “cigány” or “cingari” appear in early bands had recent connections with the early sources like chronicles, myths, legends, Peloponnese. They were not the on ly mandates, “municipal accounts”, “imperial letters refugees from those parts. Though many of of protection” and other documents by law the nobles stayed behind and embraced (Fraser 1995, 60 and 87; Bodgal 2011, 39 and Islam, the advance of the Turks into Europe 61). did set others, together with numbers of the priests and people, fleeing in search of a safe Travelling out of Egypt to show solidarity with haven and, eventually, wandering west und Jesus’ fate is a practical legend for people subsisting on charity. ( Fraser 1995, 82) travelling with their family.

The documents tell that in the early years of It is probable that the church also made its their appearance the charity was granted to contribution to this stigmatizing process, as them, because those people were seen as was the case with the social ostracism of “needy people” ( Fraser 1995, 68) and were Jews in Europe. I n the wake of the theological treated favorably (82). Fraser sees in this stigma that the Jews were the killers of Christ,

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 54 a series of prejudices subsequently “Gypsies” may steal five Sous a day without developed, varying in function to suit changing being punished ( Bogdal 2011, 37f.). We can social circumstances. [S]ome myth or other observe at least three major resulting or causal was continually being concocted about other stereotypes: First, “tra velling with a family while undesi rable groups, with or without any basis using tents or caravans” (Willems & Lucassen in reality, in order to identify these people as a 2000, 254); second, “Gypsies” as beggars or source of social decay who deserved to be even thieves and third, self -determined women. driven out of Christian society so that they The motif of travelling is linked to the linguistically then could be subjected to persecution researched origin of the “Gypsies” in India. The including the appropriation of their pr operty leader of this theory is Heinrich Moritz Gottlieb their freedom and even their lives. […] The Grellmann of Göttingen University (1783) who ongoing stigmatizing of Gypsies as heathens published Die Zigeuner: ein historischer in West Europe (in combination with their Ve rgleich über die Lebensart und Verfassung, foreign origin and – in part – mobile way of Sitten und Schicksahle dieses Volkes in Europa, life) conforms admirably with the pattern of nebst ihrem Ur sprunge / translated into English in persecution just sketched, where victims were 1787: Dissertation on the Gypsies in 1783. So regarded as religious deviants. ( Willems 1997, the religious stereotypes are closely combined 7) with ethnic stereotypes. As Grellman’s research of language proved the language of “Gypsies” Indeed the image of being a member of the Romanes has a wide range of simila rities with folk who denied access and shelter for Maria and Indian Sanskrit. That “linguistic evidence as it Joseph must have influenced the collective was then understood” led to a generally memory of both, the “G yspies ” and the major acceptance of India as the origin of “Gypsies” society. I guess that the decreasing of religious (Fraser 1992, 195). Already in these early years stereotypes can be interpreted as an example for of research we recognize a dangerous mutual how volatility can abolish simplistic stereotypes: accountability between science and real life The question is whether (a) the development politics: from national to global or (b) the deterioration of the church’s image h as been the power to draw For those who subscribe the ethnographic back those religious stereotypes. In my opinion viewpoint, it is assumed that the “Gypsies” the religious stereotypes were allocated to the constitute a single people with a number of sociographic and ethnic stereotypes. Bogdal says specific characteristics of their own. In other that legend -like embroidery of biblical happenings words, Gypsy studies are dominated by a can be interpreted as early forms of popular primordial standpoint that interprets their fict ion. Therefore “Gypsies” became: ethnic identity as, in essence, an incontestable given. ( Willems 1997, 4) • descandants of Kain. • bodyguards of King Pharao, which stopped Indeed there is a case given that shows behind at the opening Red Sea. catastrophic impacts of Grellmann’s study: • forgers of Jesus cross‘ pins. • those who denied night’s lodging to the Holy He [Grellmann] extended the currency of Family on their flight to Egypt. ( Uerlings 2007, various bits of scandal -mongering, such as 95; Fraser 1995, 85) unrestrained depravity among Gypsy women, and accusations of cannibalism. On the latter, For in stance let us have a look at Imagerie he gave considerable exposure to lurid Pellerin 1. The Imagerie Pellerin , which is titled comments in Hungarian and German with “ Les Cinq sous de Bohemiens ”, is an newspapers on recent proceedings in undated French sheet of pictures from late 19 th or Hungary (Hont county, now part of Slovakia) early 20 th century combines the conn ection to the involving over 150 Gypsies, 41 of whom, after Holy family and the social situation of “Gypsies”: confessions extracted under torture, were A “Gypsy” woman who is barefoot meets the also executed by a variety of means (beheading, barefoot Maria and Joseph – being barefoot is hanging, breaking on the wheel, quartering) since ancient time a symbol for divinity. The Holy for crimes said to include cannibalism. ( Fraser Family is running away from Herodes’ soldiers. 1992, 195) The “Gypsy” -woman hides the little Jesus child and rescues his life. As reward God allows, that

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 55 Sou rces for ethnic stereotypes are less stigmatization of “Gypsies” in Europe is ad lib passed on in literature than in modern sources translated by “Europe invents the Zigeuner ” like websites: “Gypsy” intellectuals and political (2011). Bogdal’s main thesis is that there is no leaders use the internet as communicator. Their “Zigeuner”, one is created as “Zigeuner” (cf. intention is to show that “Gypsies” are a people Uerlings 2007, 88). Hagen (2009) and Bogdal or “even a nation” ( Will ems & Lucassen 2000, (2011) point out that literary works enable both, 257). The “work of politically motivated scholars the establishment and exposure of images and who indentify” a n ethnic group “easily leads to the stereotypes in terms of continuity and creation of new myths” ( Willems & Lucassen interruption. 2000, 269). In order to represent material claims and compensation payments for the victim s of Die natürliche Inszenierung fremder the Holocaust ( Porrajmos ) there are interests in Innenwelten ist gewiss einer der Gründe für emphasizing an “identity of all “Gypsy” -groups” die anthropologische und kulturelle (Willems 1997, These interests might be again Bedeutung der Fiktion. Der Leser kann aus motivated by Cohen’s diaspora concept (1997): sich heraustreten, nicht nur ein fremdes Some representatives of the International Leben führen, sondern auch in eine fremde Romani Union wish to represent a Romani Subjektivität schlüpfen, fremde people internationally and wish to accept Weltwahrnehmungen und Lebensentwürfe collective reparations similar to those paid to tentativ durchspielen. Kein Gespräch und kein Israel. By the way Willems and Lucassen point psychologisches Dokument kann so viel out that the United Nations do not recognize any Alterität gewähren. Erst das Eintauchen in die other way “to plea for the human rights of Innenwelt des fiktiven Anderen gibt dem minoriti es” ( 267). Menschen die Möglichkeit, sich eine Vorstellung von seiner eigenen Identität zu Furthermore, historical research has shown machen. (Schmid 2008, 36) that a sustained categorization over time can strongly stimulate ethnic group feelings. In this context Hagen (2009) analyzed how (Willems & Lucassen 2000, 254) alterity is constructed in popular medi a like film, opera and literature using the example of Gypsy To sum it up one can say that there has characters in works of Jean Potocki , Victor Hugo , always been a close relationship between Antonio García Gutiérrez , Giuseppe Verdi, pseudo -scientific or even scientific research Prosper Mérimée , Georges Bizet, George Sand , about “Gypsies” and real life politics. The vicious Jules Verne etc. A German enzyclopedia of circle of fiction and real politics leads to literature supplies us with the definition of alterity exclusion: Myths served as “pretext[s] for as otherness due to spatial, temporal, cultural or intolerance” ( Fraser, 1995, 85). The “work of historical distance. According to the article politically motivated scholars who indentify” an becoming aware about the impacts of alterity ethnic group unfortunately “easily leads to the would help to understand the others ( von Wilpert creation of new myths” ( Willems & Lucassen 2001, 20). Kostka and Schmidt (2009) give a 2000, 269). So, history of Gypsies is until the similar but more detailed definition of alterity in a years after World War II a history of alterity. The handbook for methods in German language and image of Gypsies during the European hist ory is literature studies. Their field of research is the so drawn by the major society. There is no called Alteritätsforschung or documentation by the Gypsies themselves. Interkulturalitätsforschung ( 2009, 34) which examines the interaction between self -attribution In the following I examine the connection and attribution of others. They define alterity as between media stereotypes and the invention of opposite of identity and show that in terms of the “Gypsies” referring to Bogdal’s thesis. In the literature self -discovery is influenced by cultural, following I show that literature has been a major social, spatial, lingual, temporal and poetical medium to pass on stereotypes for centuries. differences respectively similarities (34 and 50). In terms of cultural alterity they point out that the Literary Representations of “Zigeuner” in paradigm shift concerning the German term for Contemporary P opular Media culture was fundamental for a research on that field. Bachmann -Medick (2010) has summed up Literary stereotypes of “Zigeuner” are very the interpretive, performative, reflexive, literary, well researched: The title of Bogdal’s book about postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turn

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 56 as cultural turns ( Turk 2003). She considers the (Engelbert 2008, ht tp://ebp.arthur - singular turns as categories which offer methods engelbert.de/?page_id=10) for literary studies and develops Clifford Geertz’s culture as text theory. Her aim is to promote the Those double featured “Zigeuner” images opening of the culture as text theory for different from the European Middle Ages are still kind of readings and interpretations ( Bachmann represented in modern media like newspapers, Medick 2004, 316). Instead of culture -specific magazines, TV channels, web sites etc. At the meanings a new attention should be drawn on same time the images corroborate the year ning cultural and formative action models , action for spatial and physical transgression. A re pertoire and perception settings. According to proliferation of exotic fantasies of wild physical ity her literature was a revealing medium for that and disorganization is observable in terms of new kind of analysis (313). Carmen or Esmeralda figures ( Hagen 2009, 15) .

Hagen concludes that in terms of literature, Der Carmen -Mythos ist in besonderer Weise film, opera and popular media it was often difficult geeignet, die Figur der Zigeunerin in to distinguish between cultural features and unterschiedlichen medialen Ausformungen, cultural attributions by others. According to her in von der Novelle über die Oper, bis zum Film Non -“Romani” art there are more projected und neueren Performances zu untersuchen. stereotypes of how Gypsy culture is seen by (Hagen 2009, 106) others than certain kinds of shibboleth of “Sinti and Roma” culture ( Hagen 2009, 217). As I In contrast to Esmaralda , the character of mentioned above the problem concerning Carmen is deconstructed in later adaptation “Zigeuner” stereotypes is that negative as well as (Hagen 2009, 86). Esmaralda’s character seems positive stereotypes influenced the everyday life to stay specified on stereotypes. The oldest of “Gypsies”. So, the outstanding phenomenon character between Carmen and Esmaralda in about the persecution of “Gypsies” is that they movies is played by Marlene Dietrich in “Golden are discriminated against and embraced at the Earrings” from 1947: Bogdal criticizes Marlene same time: For example the gypsy music is a big Dietrich for playing a role that is full of part of European dance and party culture: Since stereotypes. several years the so -called Balkan Party capture of dance floors all over Europe ( Engelbert 2008). Erschreckend, was Marlene Dietrich, der man keinerlei rassistische Vorurteile unterstellen Simply to live and to enjoy living is an art kann und die sich als Antifaschistin which is less and less feasible, although the verstanden hat, als authentisches Aussehen commercialization of life offers everything und Verhalten von Zigeunern betrachtet. Die desirable: at present the music and the arts of eigentlich belang lose Episode zeigt the Gypsies, Sinti and Roma embody a life schlaglichtartig, wie die die Vorstellung von affirming perspective, connected for example den zivilisationsfernen, jegliche Hygiene with the innovative tendencies of hyb rid missachtenden Zigeunern in das kulture lle music. A vital culture has sprung up on the Gedächtnis eingebrannt ist. (Bogdal 2011, periphery and has moved into urban centers. 428 ) Balkan Beats is such a cultural phenomenon. Fleeing from the first civil war after the To tell the truth I liked the movie because of its fo undation of the European community an story. I n the contrary, seeing the connection urbane music mix has developed among between social exclusion and stereotypes I must immigrants above all in Berlin, the geographic say that the movie won’t exposure stereotypes. crossing point of cultures, popularized through To the background of genocide r eality and fiction DJ Shantel from Frankfurt and RJ Robert are linked too far. Soko from Berlin. Of course the problems of migration can’t be solved through this, but Vor dem Hintergrund der perhaps they can be made more con scious 2. Massenvernichtungen, die deu tlich erwähnt A cultural dismantling of barriers has a huge werden, erscheint die abenteuerliche und power, which is noticeable from the first tones romantische Flucht - und Liebesgeschichte als in Balkan Beats. The borders of cultural problematische, ja unangemessene belonging are fluid and find their frame in the Situationsbeschreibung, auch wenn es sich European Balkan Project: A style to live by. dabei um ein Loblied auf die Solidarität der

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 57 Verfolgten und ihren Überlebenswille n to counter prevailing attitudes of hatred and handelt . (Bogdal 2011, 427 ) discrimination against them by sharing their life experiences with the gadjes, the non - Recently the wilderness of “Gypsy” women Gypsies […] . This seems to me to mark a has been for a British TV show called “My Big Fat fascinating historical turning point in Rom Gypsy Wedding” of Channel 4. In this TV show culture. Since the 1980s, we have witnessed stereotypes like young girls as sex symbols or a growing number of autobiographies written were depicted without reflecting conseque nces by Romanies themselves. Given that the for the people concerned (www.theguardian Romanies have relied primarily on oral 201 2). One more example for mixing reality with traditions to pass on historical information and fiction comes from the far right -winged Swiss cultural knowledge, and that illiteracy among newspaper Die Weltwoche : The headline of the them is still very high in most countries where article warns The Roma Are Coming: Raids on they reside, this sudden shift to the public Switzerland . The subtitle is called Family non -Gypsy realm and to the printed word is Business of Crime . In the photograph one can striking indeed. […] This new literature by see a little child with a gun which is directed into Romanies challenges traditional dualistic the camera (fr -online, 2012). The child’s skin is images of Gypsies as either asocial criminals looking dark and the face seems to be a little or as a romantically idealized people close to dirty. While looking at the background of the child nature. ( Grobbel 1999, 1) one can’t determine the exact location where the photo has been taken but the headline suggests In my doctoral thesis I use methods from that it has been taken in Switzerland. Actually the literature sciences to do the literature of “Sinti photo has been taken on a toxic trash dump near and Roma” j ustice. a reception camp in Kosovo. The child holds a plasti c gun which he has found in the dump. It is not clear whether the child is a “Gypsy”, References Albanian, Serb, Bosnian or member of any other group. It can be presumed that not every reader ARNOLD , H. 1965. Die Zigeuner. Herkunft und of Die Weltwoche would have been astonished Leben des Stämme im deutschen that this child was a “Gypsy”. Maybe many Sprachgebiet , Olten: Walter Verlag AG. readers would have felt that their image of a ASSÉO , H. 1994. Les Tsiganes. Une destinée “Gypsy” is exactly met by the photography. What européenne , Paris: Gallimard. kind of stereotypes can be found in that picture? BACHMANN -M EDICK , D. 2004. „Textualität in den The subtitle says that “Gypsies” abuse their Ku ltur - und Literaturwissenschaften. children to commit a crime. We find the Grenzen und Herausforderungen.“ In D. stereotype that “Gypsies” are not civilized. Bachmann -Medick (Ed.), Kultur als Text (pp. 298 -338), Weinheim & Basel: Beltz. Bachmann -Medick explains stereotypes by BALCANU , A. 2008. Romany Issue(s): The Images the fact that each society might contain and of Romanian Gypsies at Home and Abroad. reflect its counterpart (2004, 26) . Communication Cultures in Trans it , 4, 64 -82. in volatile times also means that the power and BOGDAL , K. M. 2011. Europa erfindet die influence of literature had been transformed into Zigeuner. Eine Geschichte von Faszination new popular media. Stereotypes which lead to und Verachtung , Frankfurt am Main: prejudices and exclusion can be found in Suhrkamp. magazines, newspapers and especially in the BOGDAL , K. M. 2013. Europa erfindet die world wide web. Especially the negative images Zigeuner. Die dunkle Seite der Moderne. of a discriminated minority like “Sinti and Roma” iz3w , 334 , 17 -20. implicate the question for responsibility of popular COHEN , R. 1997. Global Diasporas. An media. In my doctoral thesis I am going to Introduction . London: UCL. analyze the contemporary literature of “Sinti and COTTAAR , A., LUCASSEN , L. & WILLEMS , W. 1992 . Roma” to support the inclusion of “Sinti and Justice or injustice? A survey of government Roma” as equal writers into Germany’s literary policy towards Gypsies and Caravan Dwellers scene. The following thesis underlies my project: in Western Europe in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries. Immigrants a nd Recently an increasing number of Romanies Minorities 11 , 42 -66. have started to represent themselves in public

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 58 DÖRING , H. -J. 1959. Die Motive der Zigeuner - Guţu, & H. Uerlings (Ed.) , Fremde Arme – Deportation vom Mai 1940. arme Fremde. „Zigeuner“ in Literaturen Vierteljahreshefte für Zeitgeschichte , 7 , Mittel - und Osteuropas (pp. 84 -117), 418 -448. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. EDER -J ORDAN , B. 1999. Die Morgendämmerung Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights. 1998. der Worte. Themen und Bilder in der Lyrik Ed. by the Follow -up Commit tee of the der Roma. In D. W. HAL WACHS & F. MENZ , International PEN -C ommittee for Translation (E D.) , Sprache der Roma. Perspektiven der and Linguistic Rights, Barcelona. Romani -Forschung in Österreich im VON WILPERT , GERO . 2001. Sachwörterbuch der interdisziplinären und internationalen Literatur , Stuttgart: Alfred Körner. Kontext (pp. 35 -51). Klagenfurt: Drava WILLEMS , W. , & LUCASSEN , L. 2000. Gypsies in Verlag. the Diaspora? The Pitfalls of a Biblical ELLIOT , J. & PELZER , J. 1978. Stationen der Concept. Histoire Sociale , 33 (66), 251 -269. Vorurteilskritik. In J. ELLIOT , J. PELZER , & C. WILLEMS , WIM (1997) . In Search of the True POORE (Ed.) , Stereotyp und Vorurteil in der Gypsy. From Enlightenment to Final Literatur (p. 7 -33), (LiLi, Beiheft 9). Sol ution, London: Routledge. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma (Ed.) 1985. ENGELBERT , A. 2008. Normalkultur . Würzburg: Minderheitenschutz für Sinti und Roma im Königshausen & Neumann. Rahmen des Europarates, der KSZE und FRASER , A. 1995. The Gypsies , Oxford and der UNO / Minotity protection for Sinti and Cambridge: Blackwell. Roma , Heidelberg: Zentralrat Deutscher GOSCHLER , C. 2005. Schuld und Schulden. Die Sinti und Roma. Politik der Wiedergutmachung für NS - ZIMMERMANN , M. 2007. Antiziganismus – ein Verfolgte seit 1945 , Göttingen: Wallstein. Pendant zum Antisemitismus? GROBBEL , M. 1999. Performance in Gypsy Überlegungen zu einem bundesdeutschen Autobiograp hies from Austria and Germany. Neologismus. In K. M. Bogdal, K. Holz, & M. Glossen , 7, 1- 7. N. Lorenz (Ed .) , Literarischer HAGEN , K. von. 2009. In szenierte Alterität. Antisemitismus nach Auschwitz (pp. 337 - Zigeunerfiguren in Literatur, Oper und Film. 346), Stuttgart: Metzler. München: Fink. ZIMMERMANN , M. 2007b. Zigeunerpolitik und HARNISCH , R. 2011. Eigennamen als Grund und Zigeunerdiskurse im Europa des 20. Mittel von Stigmatisierung und Jahrhundert. Eine Einführung. In M. Diskriminierung. Der Deutschunterricht , 6 , Zimmermann (Ed.) , Zwischen Erziehung und 28 -42. Vernichtung. Zigeunerpolitik und KOSTKA , A. & SCHMIDT , S. 2009. Zigeunerforschung im Europa de s 20. Alteritätsforschung / Jahrhunderts (pp. 13 -70), Stuttgart: Metzler. Interkulturalitätsforschung. In J. Schneider (Ed.), Methodengeschichte der Germanistik Internet sources (pp. 33 -70). Berlin: deGruyter. Antiziganismus -Watchblog: http:// MALVINNI , D. 2004. The Gypsy Caravan. From antizig.blogsport.de Real Roma to Imaginery Gypsies in Western Asphalt Tango [The leading voice of gypsy music Music and Film , New York & London: in Germany ]: http://www.asphalt -tango.de/ Routledge. European Balkan Project: http://ebp.arthur - ROSE , R. 1987. Bürgerrechte für Sinti und Roma. engelbert.de/?page_id=57 Das Buch zum Rassismus in Deutschland , fr -online: http://www.fr -online.de/politik/vorwurf - Heidelberg: Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und der -volksverhetzung -rassismus -skandal -um - Roma. schweizer -weltwoche - SCHMID , W. 2008. Elemente der Narratologie , ,1472596,14794982.html Berlin: de Gruyter. The Guardian: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys - STENGEL , K. 2004. Tradierte Feindbilder. Die ima ges/Media/Pix/pic Entschädigung der Sinti und Roma in den Hancock, Ian F. "ROMA [GYPSIES]," Handbook fünfziger Jahren , Frankfurt am Main: Fritz of Texas, published by the Texas State Bauer Institut. Historical Association. UERLINGS , H. 2007. Stigma Zigeuner. Formen http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/a der Stigmatisierung der ‚Zigeuner‘ im rticles/pxrfh deutschsprachigen Raum . In I. -K. Patrut, G.

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 59 Imagerie Pellerin: Les Cinq Sous Des http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6938697j Bohémiens: Série aux armes d'Epinal. N° /f1.zoom 22, Histoires & scènes humoristiques, OSCE: http://www.osce.org/odihr/roma contes moraux, merveilleux. Les cinq sous Photography of Balkan Beats Musicians: des bohémiens : [estampe] http://rennkuckuck.de/php/eventspics/fanfar e5_10×15_300.jpg

1 Série aux armes d'Epinal. N° 22, Histoires & scènes humoristiques, contes moraux, merveilleux. Les cinq sous des bohémiens : [estampe] http ://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6938697j/f1.zoom

2 My emphasis.

Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: Proceedings of the 2012 ICC 60