Description
Between Love and Hate
Book Summary
An essential testimony for European memory. Philomena Franz, a survivor of the Romani genocide under Nazism, narrates in the first person her experience of racial persecution, forced labor, and deportation to extermination camps like Auschwitz. This pioneering work breaks the silence imposed on the Romani victims of the Holocaust and demands the historical recognition that was denied to them for decades. A tender and moving voice that confronts us with barbarism and the fight for justice.
What is it about?
These are the first memoirs published by a survivor of the Romani genocide under Nazism, an episode that cut short the lives of half a million people simply for being Romani. Philomena Franz suffered racial persecution, forced labor, the destruction of her family, torture, and deportation to extermination camps such as Auschwitz. Her memories bear witness to all of this and claim a place in European memory for the Romani people. It is a tender and naive voice that rises amidst the silence to which these Holocaust survivors were condemned after Hitler's defeat. After the Second World War, justice and society denied them recognition as victims of totalitarianism, prolonging the Nazi regime's prejudices against the Romani. Her testimony represents a decisive contribution to the Romani demand for justice and, in fact, paved the way for the publication of other memoirs in the late 1980s.
Main themes
- Historical memory and recognition of the Romani genocide (Porajmos).
- Racial persecution and deportation to Nazi concentration camps.
- Resilience and the testimony of a survivor.
- The silence and denial of justice to Romani victims after the war.
- The fight for the memory and dignity of the Romani people.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for readers interested in the history of the Holocaust from a little-known perspective, students and researchers of historical memory, those seeking first-hand accounts of resistance and survival, and anyone committed to the fight against racism and the defense of minority rights.
What this book offers
- A unique and pioneering testimony that makes the Romani genocide visible, a silenced chapter of history.
- An intimate and moving perspective on survival in the extermination camps.
- A tool for understanding the persistence of prejudice and the fight for recognition.
- A key contribution to the demand for justice and memory for the Romani people in Europe.
Technical specifications
- Author: FRANZ, PHILOMENA
- Publisher: XORDICA EDITORIAL, S.L
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: MEMOIRS
- Collection: ENVISTAS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: June 2021
- Number of pages: 176
- Weight: 314 g
Editorial review
This is a work of great historical and human value. Its importance lies in being one of the first and most necessary voices to break the silence regarding the Romani genocide. The narrative, from a personal and unvarnished perspective, offers an essential read to complete the memory of the Holocaust and to reflect on the persistence of injustice and the need for recognition. A book that is of interest both for its testimonial content and for its relevance in the fight for civil rights.