Project Education of Roma | History Roma Children Council Conseil of de l´Europe in Europe second 4.0 migration

Second Migration compiled by the editors

Migration Routes of the Vlax-Roma l Arrival in l The Americas l The Wanderers’ Reception in the Target Countries

In the mid-19th century, a second migratory movement took place, which changed the Roma population worldwide. Kalderaš, Lovara and other Roma groups from Central and South- moved east- and westward and even reached America and Australia. This second migration, so-called after the first wave of Roma migration in Europe around 1400, was caused by far-reaching social changes, particularly the abolition of in and , and emerging industrialisation.

introduction MAIN ROUTES OF THE 2nd MIGRATION Ill. 1 finland

Estonia In 1857, one year after slavery had been completely abolished, there Latvia were 33,267 now free Roma families Denmark RUssia in Wallachia; 6,241 of them had been USA & Canada Lithuania slaves of the state, and 12,081 slaves of the Church. 14,945 families had england the Nether- Belarus belonged to the nobility. In Molda- lands via, there were an estimated 20,000 belgium families. If every family consisted of an average of five people, then ap- Luxembourg proximately 250,000 Roma lived in Ukraine the two principalities. In the whole america of Central and South-Eastern Euro- australia switzer- - moldavia pe, there was a Roma population of south africa land considerable strength. Political, economic and so- Wallachia cial revolutions caused emigration Bosnia herz. from that region from around 1850 onwards. National emancipatory mo- vements, wars, the industrial revolu- MACE- tion as well as the increasing attrac- DONIA Albania tiveness of target countries like the were the reasons for people of all ethnic groups to leave Areas of origin: their areas of settlement. The Roma were not more “willing to emigrate” than other population groups. But and Wallachia, as well as from the Hungary and from Slovakia. Main- the abolition of slavery in Moldavia neighbouring regions of , ly Vlax-Roma, but also Roma from and Wallachia opened up new terri- Western Transylvania, and other groups moved eastward to Rus- tories in their urgent search for new North-Eastern Serbia. Later on, the- sia, and northward to Scandinavia, economic niches. [Ill. 2] re is evidence of the Roma’s emig- to Western Europe, Northern and Mainly, the Roma emigrated ration from almost the whole Balkan Southern America, and even to Aus- from the border areas of Moldavia Peninsula, and, consequently, from tralia. [Ill. 2] Migration Routes of the Vlax-Roma Arrival in Western Europe The Americas The Wanderers’ Reception in the Target Countries

“Vlax”-Roma

The term “vlax” (pronounced: vlach) has been used since the 20th century for Roma whose language shows a strong Wallachian (Romanian) in- fluence. The Vlax-Roma comprise, among others, the Kalderaš, Lova- ra, Gurbet and Džambaz-Roma. The Vlax-Roma are considered as triggers and upholders of the Second Migra- tion. In many target countries, they

kept themselves apart from the alrea- Ill. 3 dy settled Roma and made up a new Kalderaš women on the march in England, 1911. (from Fraser 1992, p. 232) stratum within the Roma population. Science, as well as the Vlax- Johan Dimitri-Taikon‘s Way to Sweden Roma’s self-image, often considers them as more “traditional”, archaic “Carl Herman Tillhagen can tell about the origin of the Swedish Taikoni, the family of the groups than those which maintained great story teller Johan Dimitri-Taikon: a predominantly INdo-Aryan langu- Up until the year 1906, Taikon or Milosch, his Gypsy name, seems to have stayed mainly age and culture. Angus Fraser, the in Russia, which he knows from Baku in the southeast to Archangelsk in the northwest. In the British Roma historian, however, has same year, he travelled on to the Balkans, and to Poland and Finland. He seems to have been, in drawn our attention to the fact that passing, also in Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. A few years before World War I he these assumptions cannot be consi- visited Sweden, where he travelled about for many years. He spent the last 30 years in Sweden dered proven. exclusively, where he earned his and his family’s living as coppersmith, fairground artist and Ill. 2 musician. Since 1942 he and his entourage have stayed in Sweden every year during the winter.” Ill. 4 (translated from Vossen 1983, p. 61)

Transylvania and Banat had Austrian they must have stayed in Russia before. Migration Routes of the travel documents at their disposal. The [Ill. 4] Vlax-Roma Russian Romani specialist, Lev Tche- Many Kalderaš and Čurara moved renkov, mentions that the Kalderaš are on towards Scandinavia. Consequently, The Romanian Kalderaš are considered still being called “Ostrijaki” (Austri- Išvan Demeter’s relatives settled not as the most mobile group of Roma. As ans) by the settled Polska-Roma today. only in France, Italy and Germany, but slaves, they belonged to the state, that Some new immigrants in Poland tried to also in Sweden. The family names also is, they had already been (partly) noma- achieve a dominant position among the prove that many Scandinavian immig- dic and had exercised their profession by already settled Roma; the Kwiek family rants had stayed in Russia first. roaming certain regions. The Kalderaš even founded a dynasty of “kings”. In the mid-19th century, the Lova- left the area on two main routes. One Many Kalderaš and Čurara ra settled within today’s Hungarian bor- led them northward, the other to the moved on from Poland to Russia and ders, in Transylvania and Banat. In a Balkans, particularly to today’s Serbia; Scandinavia. Išvan Demeter, one of the first wave of migration, in 1860-70, the from there, many Roma moved farther first Roma immigrants in Russia, said Lovara moved from Hungary to Czechia west. The migration of the Kalderaš and decades later that his family emigrated and Slovakia, and then on to Germany. other groups in the Balkans is not do- mainly because of the high dowries for Some of them followed the army in cumented, particularly as far as its be- women. The Demeters travelled through the Austro-Prussian war and settled in ginnings are concerned. Most probably Russia, reached Manchuria and later Czechia before they eventually came to it took place relatively late towards the stayed in Central Russia. Išvan‘s father Austria. Others went to Poland and later end of the 19th century. There is, howe- and his family even reached Algiers. to Russia. The wanderings of the vari- ver, a lot of evidence for the northbound Išvan Demeter‘s group was no isolated ous Lovara groups came to an end only route. case. Most Kalderaš in France, for in- in 1914, after the outbreak of World In 1860, the first Kalderaš rea- stance, had not arrived before 1870, but War I; it was a temporary end, because ched Krakow, which at the time was on immigrated later from Russia. Their di- already during the Hungarian Uprising the territory of Austria-Hungary. Being alect shows words from Russian collo- in 1956, numerous Lovara came to Aus- Austrian citizens, many Roma from quial speech, which is a clear sign that tria again.

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Praised Dexterity, Grandiose Prices

“While they were in Britain they brought a touch of oriental splend- our to drab city waste-grounds. The women, with gold coins woven into their hair-plaits and strung around their necks and bosoms, presented a formidable spectacle, quite different from that of their English counter- parts in their finery […]; and the

men, in baggy trousers tucked into Ill. 6 top-boots, brightly coloured shirts, Kalderaš tents at Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, London in August 1911. (from Fraser 1992, p. 231) and coats and waistcoats with rows of huge buttons of silver (some as Immigration to Colombia large as a hen‘s egg) were just as resplendent. Much of the men’s time In 1998, a Colombian Rom gave an account of his predecessors’ immigration: was spent in seeking out copper “The European Roma emigrated to Central America, from Central America they vessels to repair in factories, bre- emigrated to Southern America, they came to Peru, they came to , they came to Co- weries, hotels, restaurants, and lombia. [...] They emigrated via Panama, from Panama they crossed the Atrato and they the like: their dexterity and work- started in Antioquia [...] in the plains of Bogotá, on the coasts, in different parts. According manship were widely praised; their to the Colombian Roma, those born here in Colombia, 150 to 160 years have passed since grandiose prices were just as widely then. Because my grandfather died at the age of 75, he had already been born in Colombia, deprecated.” my grandmother, deceased, too, had also been born there.” Ill. 5 (from Fraser 1992, p. 231 ff.) Ill. 7 (translated from Deman, Katharina (2005) Untersuchung zur Grammatik der Romani-Varietät der Kumpanja in Bogotá/Kolumbien. Graz (Phil. Diss), p. 11)

hs appeared in the . Their came from Greece, the European parts of Arrival in tents and wagons, as well as the con- Turkey, from Serbia, Bulgaria and Ro- Western Europe trast between their poor clothes and the mania. The following year they left the openly shown silver and gold, left a gre- country again. In 1885-7 and 1907-8 the Some Roma came with Austrian passports, at impression on the population. In their stayed in Southern Scotland and probably from Transylvania, via Germa- thousands, they flocked to the tent camps, Northern England. In particular, howe- ny and Belgium to France in 1866, but and the Roma could even demand an ent- ver, it was the Lovara who, via Germany, they were soon deported back to Belgi- ry fee. In the early 1870s Roma came to reached England at that time. The media um. In 1867 the Kalderaš travelled around France from Italy and Germany – via the and the police led campaigns against the France in groups of 30, 40 and even 150 Balkans or Russia. They also attracted Roma with German passports. Similar people in open horse carriages. [Ill. 4] masses of visitors. In Germany, in 1867, actions were taken in France, Germany, In 1868 the Kalderaš reached and in the Netherlands in 1868, or . Between 1911 and 1913, England. They set up their tents in the trainers appeared for the first time; they Kalderaš-families called Choron, Kirpach, London suburbs, but were not received were Ursari-Roma of the Gulabavich, La- Demeter or Maximoff travelled about in in a friendly way by the English Roma. zarovich or Mitrovich families. In 1886, Britain in trains with their tents, which In the same year, Kalderaš-coppersmit- 99 Kalderaš arrived in Liverpool. They attracted great attention. [Ills. 3, 5, 6]

who had been deported there in the 16th States. In time, a new group emerged, th THE AmericaS and 17 centuries had left almost no tra- standing apart from the rest of the po- ces. The new arrivals, however, caused pulation, which specialised in itine- countries like Argentine or the USA to rant trades like horse dealing, copper Only a few Roma who reached Great issue entry bans for Roma in the 1880s. smithing or basket weaving. In the Britain stayed there. Most of them went In the beginning, from 1850 1880s, the immigration into Northern to America, being a part of the great Eu- onwards, it was mainly British “Ro- and Southern America changed dras- ropean wave of emigration. The Roma manichels” who moved to the United tically. More and more Southern and

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Central Europeans came to the US, and animal trainers with monkeys The Roma population of coming from the Austro-Hungarian and . They declared themselves America counts approximately 2.5 mil- Empire, from Italy, Turkey, Greece, Austrians, or Turks, which vir- lion people today, and almost perfectly Russia and . Among them tually included the whole Balkan area mirrors the migratory movements since were numerous Roma, such as Ruda- in the understanding of that time. 1850. The biggest groups are again the ri from Bulgaria in 1882 and groups Also, a Roma group from the Serbian Kalderaš and Lovara, as well as the for- of Hungarian-Slovakian musicians Mačva, today called the “Mačvaja”, merly Spanish Calé. living on the in 1883; the latter formed the core of reached the States. Many Roma came continent are an evidence of immigra- the “Bashaldé”, today known as mu- to the States via Cuba, Canada, Mexi- tion between the world wars, and pro- sicians in the whole of the USA. The co or Southern America, from where ve that the Roma’s migration had only Rudari were performers, artists it was easier to immigrate. [Ill. 6] temporarily come to an end in 1914.

In the 1850s, more rigorous tion of laws. Massive restrictions on The Wanderers’ Reception anti-“Gypsy” laws were also passed in their travellings, stronger regulation of in the Target Countries Bavaria. At the end of the century this their professions and first attempts to caused the settled Roma – mainly Sinti register the Roma took away their basis In most Western European countries – to disappear almost completely from for livelihood, which pre-programmed silence had reigned concerning the Roma. public consciousness, while travelling troubles with the rest of the population. This changed abruptly with the new ar- groups, who were mainly considered In England, there were several rivals and eventually led to problems or homeless , grew draft bills which were to put the Roma’s also for the well-established, settled more and more suspect. It was general- lives under the state’s control for edu- Roma. The Netherlands’ authorities, for ly believed that they used horse dealing cational purposes. However, parliament instance, began searching feverishly for and music as a disguise for begging, rejected these laws in their intended, ways to get rid of the immigrated Roma, stealing and other crimes. rigorous form. In Serbia, “nomadising” which became more and more difficult In Austria-Hungary, just like was prohibited, in France, “Gypsies” in view of the increasingly rigorous im- in the German Empire, the migration were registered as early as in 1907, in migration regulations in the neighbou- caused substantial changes in the “Gyp- Sweden a general ban on Roma immig- ring countries, particularly Germany. sy policy”. The immigration was seen as ration was ordained, Argentina had al- The local Sinti oftentimes suffered from an “invasion” by the authorities, which ready done so in 1884, followed by the the increasingly hostile climate. again led to a step-by-step intensifica- USA in 1885.

Conclusion or Australia the Roma population was and even though the migration’s main only founded by this very migration route could be traced, we are far from The second migratory wave of Roma wave. Even though the winding paths adequately portraying this complex mig- drastically changed the Roma populati- of emigration could be reconstructed for ratory movement. Its interconnecting, on in many countries. In Latin America several groups and many single families, complete history is yet to be explored.

Bibliography

Crowe, David M. (1995) A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia. London / New York: I. B. Tauris Publishers | Fraser, Angus (1992) The Gypsies. Oxford / Cambridge: Blackwell | Marushiakova, Elena / Popov, Veselin (2001) Gypsies in the Ottoman Empire. A contribution to the history of the Balkans. Hatfield: University of Hertfordshire Press. | Salo, Matt T. / Salo, Sheila (1986) Gypsy Immigration to the United States. In: Papers from the Sixth and Seventh Annual Meetings, Gypsy Lore Society, North American Chapter. New York, pp. 85-96 | Tcherenkov, Lev / Laederich, Stéphane (2004) The Rroma. Volume 1. History, Language and Groups. Basel: Schwabe Verlag | Vossen, Rüdiger (1983) Zigeuner. Roma, Sinti, , Gypsies zwischen Verfolgung und Romantisierung. Frankfurt am Main: Ullstein

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