Frankfurt am Main (plaque, Braubachstrasse)
Historical background
The controversy surrounding this plaque concerned the issue whether it should include the names of two people who were entered into the history of the Roma and Sinti in bloody letters: Robert Ritter (a psychiatrist) and Eva Justin (a nurse, later also a psychologist). Their names and research are known, but in some circles including their names on the memorial plaque was considered abusive. Ultimately, however, it was decided that marking them by name would be a constant unmasking of evil and a reminder to those who read it. This opinion was shared for example by the representatives of the Department of Health, which was – and still is – located in this building.
During the war, the building housed the Centre for Racial Hygiene Research at the Department of Health, which was responsible, for example, for mass sterilisation and euthanasia. Subsequent legal interpretations of the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 defined that, while grandfathers’ religion is testimony to ‘Jewry’, in the case of Roma and Sinti it was the anthropological features which were important. As part of their research, Ritter and Justin measured the skull and examined eye colour and complexion according to scale. In addition to biometric data, sociocultural features such as housing, attendance at school, language skills or musicality were also recorded.
The research first covered Gypsies who lived in wagons at Dieselstraße (from 1937), where a closed camp was organised for them; and then in the new camp at Kruppstraße (from 1942). Groups working outside of Frankfurt also collaborated with the researchers.
The results of the work of the Ritter and Justin’s research centre on “racial biology” were the basis for Heinrich Himmler, who was the Reichsführer of the SS and the head of the German police, to issue a decree on December 14, 1938, according to which it was necessary to “regulate the Gypsy issue” by getting rid of them as an unwanted element in the state. The results of Ritter and Justin’s work were the basis for the creation of deportation lists, whereas cases which still raised some doubts were individually consulted with Dr. Robert Ritter.
Description of commemoration
On the wall of the renovated building of the Frankfurt am Main City Health Department, there is a large plaque made of Corten steel with the inscription in German. The QR code placed below links to the website: http://www.gedenkorte-frankfurt-main.de/gom_orts_liste.php?PHPSESSID=4h08185rqp8mt3cqe6kpgaj304&dateiname=t_gom_gedenktafel_braubachstr , which contains a description of this site, the history of the persecution of the Roma and Sinti, as well as information about the two ”scientists” and their post-war fate.
Inscriptions
Mehrere Hunderttausend europäische Roma und Sinti wurden unter / nationalsozialistischer Herrschaft ermordet. An über 20.000 / Deutschen Sinti und Roma wurden ‘Rassenbiologische’ Untersuchungen / durchgeführt. Zwangssterilisation, Inhaftierung und Folter waren / die Vorstufe des massenhaften Todes in den Konzentrations- und / Vernichtungslagern der Nazis. // Von in Frankfurt am Main lebenden Roma und Sinti wurden / 172 Personen in ‘Zigeunerlagern’ in der Diesel- und Kruppstraße / interniert. / 8 Personen zwangssterilisiert, / 174 Personen nach Auschwitz deportiert und / mindestens 89 Roma und Sinti dort ermordet. // Ab 1947 waren zwei maßgeblich an ‘Rassenbiologischen / Untersuchungen’ beteiligte Personen, Robert Ritter und Eva Justin, / im Stadtgesundheitsamt Frankfurt am Main in leitender Funktion / beschäftigt. Sie wurden für ihre Verbrechen nicht zur Rechenschaft / gezogen. Die beiden Namen stehen stellvertretend für diejenigen, / die unter dem Deckmantel von Wissenschaft und Forschung oder durch / Wegsehen und Schweigen den Völkermord an Roma und Sinti / ermöglichten. // In Achtung vor den Opfern, als Erinnerung, Mahnung / und Verpflichtung.
Date of the unveiling
January 27, 2000
Author
Uwe Risch
Initiator
The Association of the German Sinti and Roma Landesverband Hessen e.V.
Address
The Department of Health (Stadtgesundheitsamt), Braubachstraße 18-22, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Location
50°06’41.0″N 8°41’00.2″E
50.111389, 8.683389
<iframe src=”https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d603.8502513606102!2d8.682833829236557!3d50.11138285876114!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0x0!2zNTDCsDA2JzQxLjAiTiA4wrA0MScwMC4yIkU!5e1!3m2!1spl!2spl!4v1507999532905″ width=”600″ height=”450″ frameborder=”0″ style=”border:0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Materials
http://www.ffmhist.de/ffm33-45/portal01/portal01.php?ziel=t_ak_rassenbiologie_sinti_roma
http://gedenkorte.sintiundroma.de/index.php?ortID=20
Gallery
