Menden Unveils Memorial for Sinti and Roma Victims of Nazi Persecution
A new memorial in Menden will honour the Sinti and Roma victims of Nazi persecution. The site, featuring a split boulder as its centrepiece, will be officially unveiled on Monday, March 9, 2026. The ceremony marks a significant addition to the town's efforts to remember those murdered during the Holocaust.
The event begins at 5:00 PM with Pastor Jürgen Senkbeil leading a service inside St. Vincent's Church. Afterward, the dedication will take place on the church square. Mayor Manuela Schmidt will welcome attendees and speak about the memorial's role in Menden's culture of remembrance.
At least 46 Sinti from the town were deported and killed in Auschwitz-Birkenau, including mothers with 23 young children. Six of these children fell under the control of camp doctor Josef Mengele. While exact local records are scarce, historians estimate that 250,000 Sinti and Roma were murdered across Nazi-occupied Europe, with many deported from regions like the Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria. Roman Franz, chairman of the State Association of German Sinti and Roma in North Rhine-Westphalia, will address the crowd. He will reflect on the persecution of 500,000 Sinti and Roma under Nazi rule. Dr. Bernd Schulte, State Secretary and Head of the State Chancellery, will also attend as a guest of honour. The memorial itself consists of a large erratic boulder split in two. This design symbolises both the forced separation of families and the enduring unity of their memory. March 9 will now serve as an annual day of commemoration for the crimes committed against Sinti and Roma communities.
The dedication ceremony will bring together officials, survivors' descendants, and residents to honour those lost. The memorial ensures that the victims' stories remain part of Menden's history. Future generations will have a place to reflect on the atrocities suffered by Sinti and Roma under Nazi persecution.
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