Norway: Oslo City Council wants to ask Government for a memorial to Holocaust victims of Romani origin

Norwegian news server Aftenposten reports that Erik Lunde, a city councilor in Oslo who is a member of the Christian People’s Party (KrF), recently gave a speech about the idea of creating a memorial to Romani victims of the Holocaust in Norway. His fellow councilors, including Mayor Marianne Borgen, unanimously agreed to submit a proposal to the Government for the creation of such a memorial.

Lunde has been a member of the council since 2011. His speech was considered very important and was well-received.

The mayor told him: “I want to thank you for emphasizing human dignity, in many cases.” His fellow city councilors also called him a very good politician who defends the interests of the people and emphasizes making politics more accessible to them in support of the right interests.

The speech on 5 September was about the idea of building a memorial to the Romani victims of the Holocaust. More than 100 Norwegian Roma were murdered during the Second World War.

In addition to the annihilation of Jewish people, the Nazis also aimed to annihilate Romani people throughout Europe. “The idea to build a memorial to the Romani victims of the Holocaust in Norway came after I visited the Berlin memorial to the Romani victims of Nazism,” Lunde said, adding that in Norway certain matters associated with Romani people have been slow to make progress.

Lunde was referring to the fact that it was only about four years ago that the Prime minister apologized for how Romani people in Norway have been treated for decades, including before, during and after the Second World War. Oslo city councilors have now expressed support for a memorial and will call on the Government to build one.