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Nowadays Transcarpathia is the westernmost territory of Ukraine, which only after the Second World War has became a part of thr Soviet Ukraine. In the period between the two World wars, the region belonged to several states, namely: in the period 1919-1938 – was part of Czechoslovakia and was called Subcarpathian Rus, and from 1938 till 1944 – was part of the Kingdom of Hungary.
On July 14, 1927, the Czechoslovak Republic passed the Law on Nomadic Gypsies, which contained blatant racist and discriminatory provisions against Roma
For example, in addition to receiving “nomadic letters” issued for one year, Roma were fingerprinted, had to obtain special permits for professional activities, forced medical examinations of Roma were authorised, cutting-off hair, isolation and forced transfer of Roma to medical facilities. Other restrictions were introduced.
Roma settlements in Transcarpathia in the interwar period were already quite numerous. In 1921 a census was conducted in Czechoslovakia. According to the census, there were more than 20 Roma settlements in Transcarpathia. They were sometimes called Tabors. The largest Roma settlements were on the outskirts of cities Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, Beregovo, Svalyava, Khust and Vynohradiv. According to official statistics, according to the Czechoslovak census in 1921 in Subcarpathian Rus there were over 400 inhabitants of Roma origin, and in 1930 – there were over 1000 people.
The majority of Roma population lived in rural areas. According to local officials, the villagers lived in extreme poverty. The photographs that have survived to this day show the incredible poverty of Roma.
Ромське поселення, Підкарпатска Русь, 1929 р./ Roma settlement, Subcarpathian Russia, 1929
What was the occupation of Roma of Transcarpathia in the period between the two World Wars and have these skills survived to our days?
Here is the quote describing Roma occupation in the interwar period from Maria Novakova’s research: “The most favorite craft of Roma is blacksmithing. They build a hearth either in a hut, or in a shed near the hut, or just on open air. Hot iron is forged on the anvil, which is buried in the ground. While working at the forge, they sit or squat like oriental blacksmiths.
Those Roma, who lived in the suburbs of large cities, usually worked in these cities, mostly doing heavy and dirty work, including cleaning cities and cleaning toilets, working in slaughterhouses, cemeteries.
Roma women were mainly homemakers and cared for their children, and were in charge of they household. They had occasional earnings from collecting herbs or firewood logs and selling them, and cleaning the houses of local citizens. However, Roma violinists from that period of history were involved into the operation of Roma chapel.
Before the seasonal agricultural work, Roma made containers for stones used for sharpening of knifes used for grass cutting, in autumn they sold other accessories – “mozholovka” (device for extracting of corn seeds).
Roma were also famous for making baskets of various shapes from unpeeled twigs, and mats from twigs and corn leaves.
Wallachian Roma were involved in the hand-made production of wooden products – troughs, wooden bowls, and ladles spoons. In spring, brooms were made from birch twigs. Among Roma there were special groups that served shepherds in the meadows: crafted barrels, various sieves, and ladles for making of cheese (wurda, brynza). Up till present, producing of various types of spoons has survived but only in the village of Myrcha.
During the interwar period, many Roma made unfired bricks for the population in the region for the construction of houses.
At the beginning of the XX-th century, a group of Roma started production already burnt bricks, which was highly valued, especially in cities. For example, in the 1930s, the largest Catholic church in Svalyava and a church in Pidvinohrad were built from burnt bricks made by local Roma.
A significant number of houses in Uzhgorod were also built of burnt bricks made by Roma. Therefore, Roma settled in places where clay was found – Teiglash tract in Pidvinohrad, Mochar – in Uzhhorod, near the Chonki brick factory – in Svalyava. Until the end of the XX-th century, Roma made unburned bricks in some settlements of Transcarpathia.
In addition, there were many craftsmen in the cities among Roma: shoemakers, tinsmiths, carriers of goods on carts and carriages of a kind of taxi.
Roma musicians both in the interwar period and today are the elites among Roma. Their natural musical talent, the ability to improvise any melody with extraordinary similarity, even when heard only once, made them legendary musicians who were famous in Hungary and Slovakia. Even Ferenc Liszt himself said that Hungarian folk music should be called Roma-Hungarian or Hungarian music in Roma performance.
On the invitation of the local population, Roma played during the festivities – at weddings, religious holidays, balls and in times of sorrow (at funerals) or mobilization to army.
This music has its own manifestation that reveals Roma soul, their life. The player in a Roma musical band always plays his own improvisation, which begins with a gentle, quiet melody, which in a moment turns into a powerful tone, and ends gently and melodiously.
Both local and foreign photographers who visited Subcarpathian Rus between the two World Wars have always been interested in Roma life. In particular, Margaret Burke-White is a journalist for the American magazine “Life”, as well as the Czech photographer Rudolf Gulka, who not only took interesting photos of the time, but also colored them in manually.
In 1937, Life journalist Margaret Burke-White visited Roma camp in Bercheni street in Uzhhorod, and Roma school, leaving us very interesting photos of the life of Roma community.
Interesting for us are the documents on resolving of the issue of eviction of Roma from the area on the border area between Czechoslovakia and Hungary in the village of Astei (now near the border crossing point “Luzhanka”) for three Lakatos families.
We will not retell in details the content of all documents (there are over 10 documents), we will only emphasize that the reason for the demolition of the “Gypsy shacks” was that according to official letters Roma settlement in the village Astel was a place where Hungarian criminals hide. It was very difficult for law enforcement agencies to operate, because the state border was nearby.
Official correspondence about the demolition of Roma houses in the village Astei was circulated up until 1937. In the same year, after four years of correspondence and the involvement of the head of Roma settlement, the houses were demolished by Roma themselves.
We ask you to have a look on the document of the Notary office in city Berehove № 6451/1938 of March 1, 1938 on the fight against malaria and typhus, the spread of which Roma were accused.
The document states: «Malaria and typhus occur in the town of Berehove from year to year, although city officials are doing their best to prevent the spread of the disease. We would like to inform you that a few years ago these diseases appeared not only due to the presence of water lands, but the main reason is the gypsy shacks in the area, which were built without proper permission. Today there are 120 shacks, which are a source of typhus and all kinds of diseases. These houses are built without a foundation in the swamp and they need to be investigated in order to determine if they are really the cause of the outbreak of the above diseases.»
According to the document, Roma settlement was to be moved outside the town of Beregovo, more than a kilometer away, only because it was inhabited by Roma, although the fact that they were the cause of typhus and malaria had not been confirmed.
A similar attitude towards Roma population by local officials was throughout entire Transcarpathia. They tried to evict Roma from cities and towns as far away as possible, but this has not always been possible. For example, the location of Roma settlement in city Beregovo has not changed since the 1920s. Our story would not be complete if we did not tell you about the development of Roma education in Transcarpathia in the interwar period. It was at this time that the first state Roma school in Europe was opened in Uzhhorod. Where, when, for what, by whom was it built? This is our next story
In January 1926, it was decided that a school should be built to educate Roma children, placing it directly next to the camp. In order to overcome the resistance of Roma against the education of their children in school, it was decided to involve them in the construction. In a short time, in December 1926, the school was officially opened.
The first photo of the pupils of the school appeared in the newspaper Ceske slovo on July 16, 1927 under the loud title: “The first Roma school in the world”, where under the big picture was the text: “This year Czechoslovakia has a world advantage : there is a real Roma school in Subcarpathian Rus in Uzhgorod. The school is well attended by Roma pupils, who, in addition to the usual subjects, learn music where Roma are extremely successful. In the photo children with parents in the classroom”.
We offer you to watch more about the history of the first Roma school in Transcarpathia and Europe in the video:
All above mentioned facts show that Roma of our region led a sedentary lifestyle in the period between the two World Wars. They could travel in order to exercise their professional skills in blacksmithing, trade, the work of musicians, selling their own products.
Despite the humiliating law of 1927, which applied throughout Czechoslovakia, including Transcarpathia, Roma and locals lived in harmony, preserving their identity and way of life. There were no signs of trouble.
The creation of this video became possible for you thanks to the implementation of the project by the public organization KAPL “Vested”. Developped with the support provided by the Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”(EVZ). This publication does not represent an expression of opinion by the Foundation EVZ. The author(s) bear(s) responsibility for the content.
