Focus ROMI.HR

There are several factors that can explain this major obstacle. The main one emerges as a direct consequence of the process of continuous exclusion at the disadvantage of Roma: given that they were more often than not expelled, forgotten, and even neglected by authorities at various levels, the available sources that can be used to trace the history of this people are scarce, and often lack coherence or details. The most significant example in this sense is represented by censuses, which are a powerful tool not only for rulers in the moment they are leading a country, but also for whoever wants to map the size, diffusion, and composition of populations across history. Yet, Roma were often not included in censuses, for various reasons: either they were not considered actual members of the population, or they were not regarded as citizens of a specific territory, or - even worse - they were seen more like a sub-category, halfway between humans and animals.

This problem is not specific to just one country or historical period. Rather, situations in which the evolutions and vicissitudes of Roma are more or less well-documented are an exception, and not normality. However, approaching some moments in history can be even more cumbersome and complex than others: it is, for instance, the case of researchers who investigate the events of the Fascist regime in Italy, and the impacts that this dictatorship had on Roma people living in the country.

Despite all the difficulties, many scholars eventually managed to produce relevant pieces of literature, in which they try to solve the jigsaw puzzle and give dignity to Roma people and make their history worthwhile. Among them, a paper written by Paola Trevisan, Ph.D. holder and expert in the field of anthropology and history of Roma people in Italy, stands out noticeably. In her work, titled ‘Gypsies’ in Fascist Italy (2017), she aimed at filling the gaps present in the literature in this realm, by offering an interesting perspective on the relation between the Fascist dictatorship and Roma people in Italy.

First of all, Trevisan highlights that the discriminatory policies imposed on Roma people by Mussolini were, unfortunately, nothing more than the result of centuries of marginalization and life at the borders, both geographical and social. Even before the unification of Italy, in 1861, Roma people had been subject to multiple banishments and legal acts that treated them like criminals or, more broadly, as threats to the security of the state. The same approach was confirmed a couple of years later, in 1889, by Italy’s new penal code, which kept portraying Roma not only as a menace, but also as a group who had to be marginalized to the very borders of the country. This had a major consequence on Roma’s lives: by being constantly pushed away from the bureaucratic and political centers of Italy, they were also often forgotten in terms of population registers and, ultimately, as citizens.

Obviously, the whole process of marginalization and denial of Roma’s centuries-long presence in Italy was only exacerbated by the rise of Benito Mussolini and the Italian Fascist Party. However, while the consequences of this historical and political developments over average Italians has been thoroughly documented, as well as the horrors faced by the Jewish community in Italy, not a lot of attention has been devoted to the reconstruction of the persecution of Roma people in the country. 

Fascism is based on several ideological pillars that include, among others, the fear and repression of differences and political dissent, the exploitation of discontent and poverty to trigger violent reactions from individuals, and the identification of a common enemy that becomes a target for frustration and hatred. Evidently, Roma, just like Jews, were the ‘perfect’ victims of Fascist persecution, on the basis of ethnic and racial discrimination. Already in 1926, a bill coming from the Ministry of Interiors and directed to local prefects, invited them to expel Roma, referred to as Gypsies (Zingari, in Italian), from the Italian territory, even when they had documents which would have allowed them to legally enter the country.

Even though Roma were targeted at the national level, anti-Gypsist practices and policies were more frequently implemented in the region of Istria, now part of Croatia. Already from the late 1930s, a census was ordered to collect the names and personal information of all the Roma people residing in that area. This specific attention towards Istria can be explained by two factors: on one side, the fear that Roma could become a vector of Communist propaganda, and therefore act as spies and enemies of the State and its security; on the other, Roma people of ‘uncertain nationality’ were granted almost no rights neither from Italy nor from any of the bordering countries, especially Yugoslavia.

In the 1940s, a more structured policy was put in place by the Fascist government which, however, did not follow the pattern chosen by the Nazi and Ustaša regimes, preferring internment over extermination camps. According to some statistics recorded in 1943, the number of interned Roma oscillated between 18,000 and more than 20,000: however, it must be noted that the scarcity of sources and data about even the sole existence of Roma makes it considerably harder to have a full understanding of the numbers of interned people, as well as the living conditions they had to face. 

Trevisan’s work also tries to deal with the aftermath of September 8, 1943, when Italy surrendered to the Allied forces, until the end of the Second World War, in April 1945. During those months, many Roma managed to escape from internment camps, often by hiding or frequently relocating to avoid being detected and find a place to stay until the end of the conflict.

This work by Professor Trevisan has the merit of trying to reconstruct an often neglected part of Italian history, while also putting Italian citizens in front of the fact that we still haven’t dealt adequately with the tragedy of Roma persecution. As noted by the author, Roma people still lack any space, monument, or recognition of the brutalities they had to endure and, in addition, they are still exposed to discriminatory practices within the country. 

In conclusion, the history of Roma in Italy under Fascism reflects centuries of marginalization and persecution, too often overlooked. By documenting the policies, internments, and daily struggles faced by Roma, scholars provide a vital corrective to the gaps and silences in historical records, giving dignity to a community historically denied visibility. Ultimately, engaging with this history is not only a matter of academic responsibility but also a step toward social acknowledgment, justice, and the dismantling of persistent prejudices that continue to affect Roma people today.