Mid 30s: Systematic persecution of sinti and roma began.

May 6th, 1940: Birth of her daughter Ursula Josefine, „Gretel“.

1942 Auschwitz decree / Himmler ordered to deport all Sinti and Roma to Auschwitz.

1942 arrested during a raid.

1943 Deportation to the „gypsy camp“ in Auschwitz-Birkenau / Family followed half a year later.

Zilli´s sister Hulda had died before.

August 1944: Zilli´s 4-year-old daughter Gretel, her parents and her sister Guki with 7 children were murdered in the gas chambers.

Only her brothers Otto and Stefan survived in the labor camp.

Sinti and Roma still stigmatized after the war.

Still suffers from nightmares.

“I am afraid that the things that happened to me will happen again.“
only started to talk about her experiences when she was 90 years old
„God had plans for me!“

Lest We Forget Mannheim 10-01-2020