How does the treatment of the Roma in Medieval Europe compare to how the Jews were treated at this time?

Question

Both races were treated horribly during this time period (the Middle Ages) and were expelled from many countries in Western Europe. Would the treatment of the Gypsies (or Roma) be considered as bad as how the Jews were treated? Is there any record on how these two groups of people interacted?

Answer 1

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - - - discussing differences of 'badness' is problematical. Both groups have suffered harrashment bannishment death. Have no sources to cite for interaction by Jews & Gypsies, you may be embarking on a new course of scholastic study !! But will say that despite suffering similiar persecution neither Jew or Gypsy viewed banding together as a solution. Sadly enough when one group gets hurt by 'the majority,' other small groups often fail to aid them, it is almost like a playground full of bullies, if the bullies are beating up one person, another person views that as an opportunity to slip away. In other words rare is it when minority groups bond/bind with other minority in comon cause even in a cause fraught with issues of harm & death. Sadly enough this is often 'racial,' in simple words, 'I might be a Jew but at least I am not a Gypsy (or black, or Armenian, etc)...

Here are some interesting links and words...

http://www.holocaustforgotten.com/romgypsies.htm
""Like the Jews, the Rom Gypsies were chosen for total annihilation just because of their race. Even though Jews are defined by religion, Hitler saw the Jewish people as a race that he believed needed to be completely annihilated. The Rom Gypsies also were a nomadic people that were persecuted throughout history. Both groups were denied certain privileges in many European countries. The Nazis believed that both the Jews and Gypsies were racially inferior and degenerate and therefore worthless. Like the Jews, the Gypsies were also moved into special areas set up by the Nazis. Half a million Gypsies, almost the entire Eastern European Gypsy population, was wiped out during the Holocaust. ""
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195125568/holocaustforgotte


Peace

PS 'Outcasts' tend to be outcasts even from one another....

Also Jews are Jewish and Gypsies tend to be Catholic and that puts a huge crimp on friendship... Gypsies will hate me for saying it but in Eastern Europe, Jews were a 'safe' target for Gypsies. When Gypsies 'scammed' a Jew it was viewed as 'o-k,' by the Christian majority who could be smug and say 'well at least they are not targetting Christians.'

Peace

Answer 2

Most of the misconceptions and hatred against the Jews even today were conceived and preached by the Romans in their fanatical idea of portraying the Jews as the "killers of Christ", when they took charge of "their very own way of Christianity". They forgot that there is something called "history" that sooner or later will tell the truth. So, all the bad experiences that the Romans went through were the product of their own lies, selfishness and twisting. The saddest part is that even after the Holocaust, still the Jews are suffering injustices, most of them thanks to the Romans.

Answer 3

it an excuse to belive that inhumanity can be understood becuase id ont care if i really dont know my friends aslong as they give me something to do