Echoes of Memory Podcast | Episode 3: Roma Resistance – Stories of Survival and Defiance
What does resistance look like when survival itself is at stake—and how have Roma communities defied erasure during and after the Holocaust? The third episode of the Echoes of Memory podcast examines a frequently neglected dimension of the Roma Holocaust: the theme of resistance. Scholarly and popular accounts have too often depicted Roma communities exclusively as passive victims of Nazi persecution, thereby effacing their agency. Historical evidence, however, reveals a far more complex narrative.
In a discussion moderated by Petro Rusanienko, guests Daniela Samiri, Brian Mihalicek, Dezső Mate, and Michel Femgren analyze the diverse strategies through which Roma resisted, including armed confrontation, organized escapes, acts of rescue, the preservation of cultural practices, and the determination to survive under conditions of annihilation.
By centering named individuals, personal choices, and lived experiences, the episode challenges reductionist portrayals of Roma as passive victims. Instead, it reframes Roma Holocaust history as one marked by resilience, agency, and moral courage.
Developed by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), in partnership with the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ), the podcast series Echoes of Memory – Roma Youth for Holocaust Remembrance explores the history and legacy of the Roma Holocaust through the experiences and perspectives of Roma youth.
Meet the participants
Daniela Samiri is a criminologist and writer with professional expertise in investigations, research, and policy analysis, focusing on social justice and the structural exclusion of marginalized communities. Her work addresses themes of inequality, identity, and collective memory, integrating rigorous scholarly inquiry with a human-centered perspective. In addition to her academic pursuits, she develops cultural and artistic projects that explore resilience and the shared dimensions of human experience.
Brian Mihaliček is a professional dancer and speaker of Roma heritage on his mother’s side. He is currently pursuing a degree in French philology at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. His work and advocacy are deeply informed by issues of resistance and social justice affecting his community. Growing up, discussions at home centered on navigating society while confronting systemic injustices, shaping his commitment to raising awareness. He has shared his insights on these topics through platforms such as the ERGO Echoes of Memories podcast.
Dr. Dezso Mate is a sociologist with a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary. He serves as a Research Fellow at the Interdisciplinary Centre for European Studies, Europa-Universität Flensburg, and as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Research Centre on Antigypsyism, Heidelberg University. Dr. Mate is a member of the Barvalipe Academy (Knowledge Production, Research, and Publication) at the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) and a visiting lecturer at Södertörn University’s Department of Critical Romani Studies in Stockholm. An alumnus of the Kulturwissenschaftliches Institut (KWI) in Essen, he has previously held roles including Research Fellow and Course Leader at the Central European University’s Romani Studies Program in Budapest and Visiting Research Associate at the University of Sussex’s Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research. Between 2013 and 2018, he contributed as a Junior Research Fellow at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Institute for Minority Studies. His research focuses on intersectional and academic antigypsyism, structural racism, social movements, and resilience, with his doctoral dissertation analyzing academic antigypsyism through a social-psychological lens.
Michel Fremgren (Valentino) is a Roma guide dedicated to educating students and the public about Roma history and culture. He collaborates with schools through visits, workshops, and direct outreach, creating engaging educational experiences. He is currently involved in a partnership with the Hennie Onnstad Museum, showcasing the textile artwork of Malgorzata Mirga-Tas, which highlights Roma lifestyle, history, and the contributions of Roma women in advocating for rights. In this collaboration, he works alongside other guides to provide historical context and narratives connected to the artwork, emphasizing both cultural heritage and social activism.
The podcast series Echoes of Memory – Roma Youth for Holocaust Remembrance is developed by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), funded by the EVZ Foundation and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) within the programme ‘YOUNG PEOPLE remember on site & committed’, and supported by the Council of Europe, Roma Foundation for Europe, and Open Society Foundations.
This publication does not represent an opinion of the EVZ Foundation or the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM). The author is responsible for the content statements.
