Roma minority in Ukraine

The presence of a Roma minority in Ukraine was first documented in the early 15th century. Roma maintained their social organizations and folkways, shunning non-Roma contacts, education and values, often as a reaction to anti-Roma attitudes and persecution. They adopted the language and faith of the dominant society being Orthodox in most of Ukraine, Catholic in Western Ukraine and Transcarpathia, and Islam in Crimea.

During WWII the Nazis and their allies implemented their policies of the extermination of the Roma people in Ukraine. By July 1943 the Romanian authorities transported 25,000 Roma to Transnistria, along the Bug river, where half perished because of the brutal treatment. In Ukraine it is estimated that 12,000 were killed in Babi Yar in Kiev. Other massacres took place in Crimea, Podilia, Galicia and Volhynia.

According to the Soviet census of 1926 there were 13,600 Roma in the Ukrainian SSR, 2,500 whom lived in cities. In Crimea there were 1600. According to the 1970 census there were 30,100 Roma in Ukrainian SSR, (up from 28,000 in 1959). In 1979 -34,500. The estimate of the World Romany Union is considerably higher (around 400,000).

Roma are scattered throughout Ukraine, but their largest concentrations are in Transcapathia, Crimea and Odessa oblasts. Half live in cities. 35% consider Romany their mother tongue.Material culture has not differed from the dominant society except in dress. They have a rich folk tradition. Roma themes can be found in Ukrainian literature.

The term "Roma" (Ukrainian: Ромá) is not generally used, accepted or understood in Ukraine, even by the Roma themselves. They are referred to by the generic term "Tsyhany" (Ukrainian: Цигaни)

Sources

* Encyclopedia of Ukraine Vol. 2 (G-K) Toronto, 1988