Relations between ethnic Czechs and Roma

Relations between the two groups has varied over time, culminating in the extermination of the Czech originating populations in WWII.

Extermination

Roma were exterminated by Nazi German mobile killing units and in camps such as the ones at Lety and Auschwitz. 90% of native Roma died, and were replaced by Roma from neighboring Slovakia and Romania.

The Communist Years

During the communist years unsuccessful attempts to change the nomadic living style of Roma were undertaken by the regime. Many Romani people were settled in panel houses that were, however, sooner or later utterly demolished (Chánov near Most, Luník IX in Košice). Attempts to stop the growth of the Romani population were made especially in Slovakia, where Romani women got financial offers for sterilization. After 1989, some Romani women started to accuse the state of "forced sterilizations" arguing that they were not properly informed of what the "sterilization" meant. According to Czech ombudsman Otakar Motejl, "at least 50 Romani women were unlawfully sterilized". However, Czech representative at UN protested against such accusations, claiming that the accusation was "false" and Romani women "exaggerate in all cases". A hospital in Vitkovice (Ostrava) recently apologized to a Romani woman, who was sterilized after her second ceasarotomy, but a request for a compensation of 1 million Czech crowns was rejected by the court.

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