The multidimensional achievements of the Emancipation and Reawakening Movement of the Roma from Romania, covered in the newspaper “Glasul Romilor” (The Voice of the Roma) (1934–1941) (I)

The study focuses on the detailed analysis of the multidimensional achievements obtained by the promoters of the Emancipation and Reawakening Movement of Roma from Romania, which were covered in 15 issues of the newspaper “Glasul Romilor” (The Voice of the Roma) (1934–1941). Starting from 1933, the call for the unity of the Roma (gypsy) nation has been widely propagated by the “first emancipated and reawakened” Roma leaders; this „social and cultural outbreak” could be considered a crucial compartment in the History of the Roma in Romania. On November 15, 1934, in the first issue of the newspaper “Glasul Romilor”, the 15 objectives of the Roma Emancipation and Reawakening Program, developed by the leaders of the Association “General Union of Roma from Romania” were presented “for the accessible understanding of all Roma”. Based on the detailed analysis of 15 issues of the newspaper “Glasul Romilor” (1934–1941), 38 multidimensional achievements obtained by the members of the Association “General Union of Roma from Romania” in four areas of activity: cultural, economic, social and national, were highlighted. The two priority areas in which the protagonists of the Roma Emancipation and Reawakening Movement revealed their activity were: Cultural (14 achievements) and Social (10 achievements); (24/38 = 63%). The most essential result from the point of view of the strengthening of the Roma ethnic identity was the proliferation of the history of the Roma to reveal the unknown origin of this historical and cultural community. Accordingly, in the interwar period, the Roma leaders claimed through public request the promotion of a “non-minority” autochthonous status for the Roma community on the Romanian territory.